Adjusting Negotiation Tactics in Unpredictable Times

Negotiation crises aren’t fate—they’re the cost of unpreparedness.  But if you’re in one, here’s your escape: Years ago, I watched a multimillion-dollar deal go up in flames. A client was negotiating an urgent acquisition. Everything looked solid—until the other side suddenly imposed a “take it or leave it” deadline. The pressure skyrocketed. My client panicked. Within hours, he made a concession that cost his company millions. It didn’t have to happen. The crisis was avoidable. Most negotiation crises don’t come from bad luck. They happen because of four predictable triggers—and if you don’t see them coming, they’ll bury you. What Turns a Negotiation into a Crisis? 1️⃣ Too Little Time  🚨 My client only had 48 hours to decide. That’s not negotiation—that’s a hostage situation.  🚨 Deadlines make people rush into bad deals. 💡 Prevention: Set the pace early.  ↳ If the other side controls the clock, you’re already losing.  💡 Defuse It: Buy time.  ↳ My client should have said: “We need a board review before finalizing.”  ↳ Delays can be strategic. 2️⃣ Too Much at Stake  🚨 He was terrified of losing the deal—so he overpaid.  🚨 Fear leads to desperate decisions. 💡 Prevention: Define your walkaway point in advance.  ↳ Pressure is dangerous when you don’t know your limits.  💡 Defuse It: Shift focus.  ↳ Instead of fixating on the deal, he should have asked, “What happens if we don’t sign?” ↳ Seeing the bigger picture cuts panic. 3️⃣ Too Much Uncertainty  🚨 The seller’s numbers didn’t add up. But my client assumed “it must be fine.”  🚨 Assumptions are silent deal killers. 💡 Prevention: Always verify.  ↳ Demand transparency before committing.  💡 Defuse It: Call out vagueness.  ↳ A simple “Can you clarify this?” could have saved him millions. 4️⃣ Too Few Options  🚨 He felt cornered because he didn’t prepare a backup.  🚨 Weak alternatives force bad choices. 💡 Prevention: Strengthen your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement).  ↳ If you don’t need their deal, you negotiate from power.  💡 Defuse It: If stuck, expand the playing field.  ↳ My client should have explored deferred payments or performance-based clauses.  ↳ More options = more leverage. The Crisis-Proof Negotiator’s Playbook: ✅ Control the Clock ↳ Never let deadlines dictate your decisions.  ✅ Stay Grounded ↳ Define your non-negotiables before the pressure hits.  ✅ Clarify the Unknowns ↳ Unchecked assumptions lead to expensive mistakes.  ✅ Create Leverage ↳ Your strongest position? The ability to walk away. Final Insight: That client’s crisis cost him millions—but it didn’t have to. Crisis in negotiation isn’t fate. It’s failure to prepare. 💬 What’s the biggest crisis you’ve faced in a negotiation? Drop it in the comments—I’ll share how I’d handle it. 🔁 Think this could save someone from a deal disaster? Hit repost and spread the wisdom. 

Last month, I helped the founder of a technology agency close a 6-figure deal - in a down market - after losing multiple deals in a row. The economy wasn't the issue; his approach was... He was pushing harder, hustling more, and getting nowhere. So, I recommended something completely counterintuitive: I asked him to slow down his sales process. Here’s exactly how that shift worked: BEFORE: - Jumped straight into solutions and features - Focused on urgency and quick closes - Lost deals due to uncertainty and hesitation AFTER: - Slowed down to deeply understand the client’s core fears - Presented a clear, visual, 3-step roadmap to predictable results - Provided specific, proven case studies of similar clients thriving during downturns - Offered an initial, lower-risk engagement to eliminate hesitation (a strategy we created called: "The Gateway Sales Solution") RESULT: - Closed a $130k deal in less than 10 days after the initial meeting. ⚡ The big lesson: Urgency doesn’t sell in uncertain times. Certainty does.

When Their Top Client Slashed Spending, Negotiation Saved the Day One day, DHL woke up to a nightmare. Their largest client, Intel, announced it was slashing its spending by 50%. Millions would vanish. Jobs were on the line. The future looked bleak. But instead of panicking, DHL’s managers negotiated their way out of disaster. When I researched this case for my book, '15 Tools to Turn the Tide: A Step-By-Step Playbook for Empowered Negotiating,' I found DHL’s managers took three key steps: 🔹 First, they won their boss’s support. Before acting, they convinced their boss to let them pursue a bold idea: rather than resist the cuts, they’d work with Intel to serve them even better. 🔹 Next, they sat down with Intel—not to argue, but to collaborate. Instead of pleading with Intel for more spending, they asked: How can we help you succeed? That shift unlocked smarter cost savings, operational efficiencies, and even new opportunities for both firms’ growth. 🔹 Finally, they linked efficiency gains to rewards. They worked out performance-based incentives—delivering savings and value. Intel even responded by softening the cuts. 💡 The result? DHL didn’t just survive—they thrived. Profits jumped 14%, their stock soared 61%, and their negotiating team won a CEO award. A crisis can be an opportunity—if you negotiate wisely. How have you turned a crisis into an opportunity? Drop your story below. #NegotiationSkills #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #EconomicResilience  #ClientRelationships Scott Rebhun Andrew Carman Gregory Tulquois Michael Kark Christopher Baglieri Paras Kumar Jain Kirk Richardson