In reading 2.10 Negotiating with Liars, Robert S. Alder explains the prevalent use of lies in negotiations is attributed to the fact that it is casual and reoccurring action that everyone has as a means for self-preservation or simply as an easy way out of a tough situation. Psychologists believe it is a natural part of human behavior, which most likely started at age three or four. Many studies even confirm that very few people in the world can go through an entire day without lying even once. The negotiation process is like poker because while players are expected to play fair, there aren’t any guidelines to whether or not deception may be used to win a game by making others overestimate the value of one’s hand. As such, negotiators are …show more content…
Before any bargaining begins, there are measures that each party can take to not become a victim of deception by 1) doing research to find background information that is readily available in the public domain, 2) setting ground rules through pre-negotiation agreements that includes full disclosure of material. During the process, the steps that can be taken to prevent deception include 1) looking for possible signs of deception such as a quick and extreme change in behavior, i.e. someone going from being animated to quiet and withdraw in an instant. 2) Asking the same questions in different ways to check for consistency in answers, 3) asking the opponents to ‘come clean’ by be insistent in getting all and any information regarding the negotiation that has not been disclosed, 4) asking questions that one already knows the answers, as a means to check if the other party gives you an honest answer or not, 5) taking notes during negotiations to ensure thorough records for future reference, so that other party can’t change the terms which were agreed upon. Also, go as far as to read the notes to the other side to confirm what was said. 6) Making sure claims are included in written format to ensure protection from future problems, 7) insisting that contingent agreements be written out, so that parties are aware of the consequences if conditions aren’t met. This works as a preventative measure against lawsuits pertaining to breach of contract. 8) Lastly, trusting but verifying the information that is given by the opponent. This can be done by checking out the information that is given, to check for