The Grandmaster’s Guide to Negotiation
Apr 16, 2025
When people first learn about negotiation, there’s often a temptation to focus on tactics – the clever lines, the perfect questions, the ‘killer move’. But negotiation doesn’t work like that.... And neither does chess.
In both, tactics are like individual pieces on the board. Alone, they’re limited. A single move won’t win you the game. It’s how you combine them, how you read the moment, how you adapt your play that makes all the difference.
Negotiation Tactics Are Like Chess Pieces:
"Simple Alone - Powerful Together"
Take the Open Question. On its own, it can seem basic. But when timed correctly and paired with Silence, followed by a sharp Summary and delivered before a well-considered “If You, Then We” proposal, it becomes something far greater:
- a flow of influence,
- understanding, and
- movement.
Each tactic strengthens the next – a combination, not an isolated act.
Try a FREE NEGOTIATION TASTER to practice your skills!
When Negotiation Preparation Inevitably Fails You
Some negotiators will spend hours preparing questions in advance, carefully crafting the perfect line, expecting a certain answer. This is not wrong – it’s thoughtful, it shows effort. But it’s also like memorising a chess opening.
- Yes, you might have rehearsed your first few moves.
- Yes, they might work.
- But the moment your opponent deviates – and they will – you’re no longer following a script. You’re in the real game.
- And just like in chess, if all you’ve got is memorised lines, you’re lost.
Anyone can ask an Open Question. But when you ask it, how you ask it, why you ask it – that’s where the magic lies. And those nuances? They don’t come from theory. They come from doing.
Lesson: Every Negotiation Is Different
Two negotiators could start with the same tactic, the same opening question, even with the same counterpart – and still end up in entirely different places. Why? Because circumstances change. People learn. Emotions evolve. Prior experiences shape responses.
This is why it’s not enough to just know the tactic. You must own it.
Make it yours. Practise it until it fits your natural style. Until you can spot when it’s the wrong time to use it, as well as when it’s perfect.
Because negotiation, like chess, is not a performance – it’s a dynamic, ever-changing game of skill, perception, and timing.
Master the simple tactics first. Practise them until they are second nature.
Only then can you start combining them like a grandmaster – fluidly, confidently, with intention and control.
The CRITICAL Truth For Negotiation Grand Mastery:
"You only reach this level through practice. Deep.... Repetitive... Deliberate PRACTICE."
