How to Manage Perception to Win Negotiations

Abstract

Perception management is undeniably one of the critical skills of a master negotiator. While the idea that negotiators should control how their counterparts perceive them has already been examined in literature, there does not exist a strategic model for applying perception management into modern negotiation practice. This article indicates how negotiators can manage how they see themselves and how they feel in ways that can influence others' perceptions of them, in order to increase their inner bargaining power and consequently win negotiations. In view of the above, I introduce the 3-Dimensional Model of Perceptual Management in Negotiation. The model provides a straightforward and user-friendly framework that can be used to prepare for a negotiation or at any time during a negotiation to boost the chances of a successful outcome.

Furthermore, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the perceptual process, explains the impact of perceptual selection on negotiation and presents the most common attribution errors. Since perception depends to a large extent on individual inclinations, the article is garnished with visualizations of the theoretical aspects designed for all those to whom images speak louder than words.