Choosing the Right Environment for Negotiations
How much thought do you put into creating the right atmosphere for a negotiation? The Public Speaker explains how the best choices can have a psychological and emotional impact.
Lisa B. Marshall
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Choosing the Right Environment for Negotiations
Did you know that athletes run faster in peppermint-scented rooms? Or that sports teams wearing black are penalized more? Or that business cards printed on heavier paper stock are taken more seriously than those printed on lighter paper?;
Recently on my Smart Talk podcast, I interviewed Thalma Lobel, an internationally recognized psychologist and a professor at the School of Psychological Science at Tel Aviv University. Lobel is also the author of, Sensation: The New Science of Physical Intelligence.
Her book talks about the surprising (and at times, somewhat unbelievable) impact of outside environmental elements–tactile sensation, smell, color, and temperature–on our language, our ability to understand abstract concepts, and our judgments.
I was particularly interested in her discussion of how environment impacts negotiations, so I asked her to describe the ideal setting for negotiation/persuading.
The Hot Drink Trick
You many find Lobel’s first suggestion a bit odd: She said that if you want the upper hand in a negotiation, make sure that your opponent is given a warm beverage. The purpose of the drink is not to fulfill etiquette, but to help make your opponent more malleable to suggestions.
When I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, she described a credible study that supported her suggestion. In the study, the researchers asked participants to temporarily hold either a hot or iced cup of coffee. At this point, the participants were unaware that the study had started. Next, they were asked to rate somebody’s personality based on a snippet of information. The group that held the hot cup gave a much higher rating of “warmth” than the people holding the iced coffee.
It turns out that this research, along with other studies, shows that holding a warm object leads to more generous behaviors. It made me think of all those times my husband, Armando, offered me a hot cup of tea just before trying to persuade me–it seems he intuitively understood this effect! Or, wait…maybe he already knew about this research…
So, what’s my advice? Never hold something hot while you are negotiating!
Smooth Operator
Smooth OperatorAnother suggestion Dr. Lobel had was to ensure that your opponent had something smooth to touch–a smooth table top surface, or something soft. Why? Because research suggests that touching smooth, soft objects helps to “smooth” communication.
The research suggests that at a young age, we begin to associate smooth objects with comfort–whether that’s the skin of your parent or the fluffy fur of a stuffed bear. Hard surfaces, on the other hand, are equated with negative experiences, like the hard surface of the doctor’s table.
In negotiations, it seems that the softest surface you could provide would be a cushioned chair or sofa. Keep in mind that, ideally, it’s your opponent who should sit in the softest place!
Take a Seat
Finally, I asked about seating arrangements. I thought Lobel’s point was interesting: she told me that the seating arrangements should depend on what kind of argument you will be making.
If you are making an emotional appeal, she suggests sitting closer together, to create a closer emotional connection with your opponent. However, if your appeal is going to be more logical, she suggests sitting further apart. The more distance apart, the less the connection there would be–and the more likely your opponent will not react emotionally.
Dr. Lobel didn’t say anything about the location of the negotiation, but I once read advice on that topic from mediator Barbara Madonik. in her book, I Hear What You Say, But What are Your Telling Me? Madonik suggests a choosing a neutral location, or one that nicely accommodates both parties and is free from distractions. Madonik also recommends using a round table to reduce the distance between the parties, and between any mediators. She also suggests choosing comfortable, adjustable chairs that allow the participants to easily reach the writing surface.
Interestingly, all of Madonik’s suggestions seem to be in line with the advice from Dr. Lobel. However, Madonik also recommends a few more specific details, like taking into consideration the amount of light in the room, the color of the walls, the background music, and the temperature, as well as making sure that there are separate private areas for teams from opposing sides to meet, and that any possible dietary restrictions are addressed.
When you are about to enter into negotiations, it is important to carefully choose or create a physical environment that shows thoughtful consideration on your part, and supports quality decision-making. Let me know in the comments how you are going to adjust your environment for your very next negotiation!
This is Lisa B. Marshall, Helping you maximize sales, manage perceptions, and enhance leadership through keynotes, workshops, books, and online courses. Passionate about communication; your success is my business. If you want even more success in your life, I invite you to listen to my other podcast, Smart Talk: Inspiring Conversations with Exceptional People.
About the Author
Lisa B. Marshall Lisa holds masters with duel degrees in interpersonal/intercultural communication and organizational communication. She’s the author of Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Success in Every Situation, as well as Ace Your Interview, Powerful Presenter, and Expert Presenter. Her work has been featured in CBS Money Watch, Ragan.com, Woman’s Day, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and many others. Her institutional clients include Johns Hopkins Medicine, Harvard University, NY Academy of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Genentech, and Roche.