Most people feel uncomfortable with silence
during a conversation.
And yet, it is natural for a topic to come
to a close and for there then to be a period
of silence during a negotiation.
So an effective way of expressing strength
during a negotiation, or better still, during
the small talk before a negotiation begins,
is to show that we are more comfortable than
the other person during such silence.
While the other person is thinking, "What
can we talk about next to keep the conversation
flowing?", we take our time, we look about
the room, we demonstrate how relaxed we are
during the silence, and then we ask, "So,
how are your kids?"
In this way, by the time the negotiation begins,
we have already demonstrated a certainty in
ourselves in that we have shown that we are
less affected by the social pressures that
affect everyone else.
We are therefore people to be respected.
