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Tactic #13 - That's Not Good Enough
Summary: Saying that the last offer is
unsatisfactory to get a counterpart to make a better offer.
The idea behind this tactic is very simple.
When someone makes you an offer you think could be improved, you simply
respond, "That's Not Good Enough." Then pause and let your
counterpart make the next response.
Example
Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under Richard
Nixon, was a master at this tactic. According to one story, his
chief of staff once handed in a report he had written on an aspect of
foreign policy. When Kissinger received the report, he asked
simply, "Is this your best work?" The chief thought for a moment
and, worried that his boss would think the report was not good enough,
responded, "Mr. Kissinger, I think I can do better." So Kissinger
gave the report back. Two weeks later the chief turned in the
revised report. Kissinger kept it for a week and then sent it back
with a note that said, "Are you sure this is your best work?"
Realizing that something must have been missing, the chief once again
rewrote the report. This time when he handed the report to his
boss, he said "Mr. Kissinger, this is my best work." Hearing that,
Kissinger replied, "Then this time I will read your report."
Counter
The best counter for the chief of staff in this
situation would have been to gain more information by using the tactic
of Asking an Open-Ended Question like, "Is there anything you
were specifically looking for in my report that is not there?" Or
"Is there anything specific about my report that you do not like?"
Or "Just out of curiosity, why are you asking about the quality of my
work?" Or "How do you define 'best work'?" The key to
countering the That's Not Good Enough tactic is not divulging
information until it is clear precisely what your counterpart is looking
for.
This tactic is one of 101 strategies and tactics
featured in The Only Negotiating Guide You'll Ever Need, by Peter
Stark and Jane Flaherty.
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