The idea of acceptance time is so simple that it is often overlooked in
negotiations. Yet, when understood, it has the power to make each of us
more effective at negotiating.
People need time to accept ideas that are new or
different. Both parties walk into a negotiating session with somewhat
unrealistic goals. They start with all kinds of misconceptions and
assumptions. Being human, they hope against hope that their goals will,
for a change, be easily met. The process of negotiating
is usually a rude awaking. The low price hoped for by a buyer begins to
look impossible. The easy sale that a seller longs for eludes him or
her. The need for new production tools, engineering equipment, or
software is confronted by an inflexible budget or competing demands for
corporate resources.
Reality is resisted—resulting in deadlock or an unrealistic agreement that soon falls apart.
Can we expect a buyer, seller, engineer, or manager to
adjust to new and undesired realities immediately? Of course not.
Resistance to change is universal. It takes time to get used to ideas
that are foreign or unpleasant. We can even get used to the reality of
death given a long enough period to do so.
Acceptance time is as important in negotiation as it is
in life. By giving the other party acceptance time, reinforcing your
own ideas with more information, and being open to the new ideas of the
other party, you stand a greater chance of reaching a better
understanding and a longer lasting agreement.
Dr. Chester L. Karrass brings extensive experience, advanced academic credentials in negotiation techniques, and over 35 years experience in seminar delivery. After earning an Engineering degree from the and a Masters in Business, Dr. Karrass became a negotiator for the Hughes organization
