THE GENIUS OF WHY?

The most important word in negotiation may be, “why?”

The genius of “why” cannot be overestimated. Often, when you are at an impasse in a deal, and you can’t find a way forward, the problem is that both parties are focused only on their position. Their definition of success is based on one specific outcome.

The genius of the question “Why?” is that it opens a door to different avenues, approaches, and creative solutions. When you find out the reason behind a particular thought process or a course of action, there are many solutions that could achieve that goal.

A story from an October 31st issue of Program On Negotiation from Harvard Law School makes the point well: An American company was trying to purchase an exclusive healthcare ingredient from a small supplier in Europe. The parties came to terms on price, but the European supplier refused to grant the firm exclusive use of the product. A negotiator was called overseas to try to solve the problem, which he did by asking a simple question: Why wouldn’t the supplier grant exclusivity? The supplier explained that he had promised to sell his cousin a very small amount of the product annually. Armed with this information, the negotiator proposed a solution that allowed the two firms to quickly wrap up an agreement: the American firm would gain exclusivity except for a few hundred pounds of the product each year, which would go to the supplier’s cousin. The breakthrough may seem simple, but unless you know how to ask an effective “Why”, it’s not obvious.

The next time you’re in a negotiation and the other party makes a statement that seems to be a block, pull your eyebrows together and look confused. Ask Why. Then look for creative solutions surrounding the answer.

Bob