The Negotiation Skills of a 4-Year Old
We were on our way home from my wife's sister's place where we had an exquisite dinner. Our son was trying to convince us that he should have more containers in his room in which to place his beloved objects. He is a hoarder. Any box, old can, or bag can be made into his new treasure chest.
My wife wanted to limit the amount of possession-safes he had in his room. He led out with five, which seemed like a pretty good starting point. In negotiation, they teach you that most times, it's better to give the first offer--they call it 'anchoring.' He anchored a bit high, but it wasn't absurd, like ten, thus preserving the negotiation to the next step. My wife countered with three. He thought about it for a moment, and countered with four, right in the middle. The way he hesitated was perfect. You could tell he wanted to stick at five but knew he needed to give up some ground to succeed. A compromise was struck and a deal made.
He can now have four receptacles in his room in which to put his random bits and bobs in. He is also learning to be a shrewd negotiator. He got it from watching me, I'm sure.
My wife wanted to limit the amount of possession-safes he had in his room. He led out with five, which seemed like a pretty good starting point. In negotiation, they teach you that most times, it's better to give the first offer--they call it 'anchoring.' He anchored a bit high, but it wasn't absurd, like ten, thus preserving the negotiation to the next step. My wife countered with three. He thought about it for a moment, and countered with four, right in the middle. The way he hesitated was perfect. You could tell he wanted to stick at five but knew he needed to give up some ground to succeed. A compromise was struck and a deal made.
He can now have four receptacles in his room in which to put his random bits and bobs in. He is also learning to be a shrewd negotiator. He got it from watching me, I'm sure.
Comments
Post a Comment