to be carrying four bombs . When negotiators tried to convince him to surrender , Watson cried out , “ You ’ re not handcuffing me !”
You ’ re not handcuffing me .
Was Watson refusing to comply ? Was he genuinely concerned about handcuffs ?
Or was there another reason why he responded like this ?
Oftentimes when someone objects , it ’ s just a veiled request for an alternative solution . Behind any objection lies a delicate and guarded reason — a cry for help .
Watson ’ s reason was dignity .
Even while surrendering , Watson wanted to keep his dignity . Negotiators on the scene were smart . They didn ’ t take Watson ’ s words at face value . They understood that his biggest concern wasn ’ t the handcuffs — it was preserving his dignity .
“ So it sounds like if we don ’ t handcuff you , you ’ ll come out ?” Watson surrendered .
By treating Watson ’ s refusal as a counteroffer in disguise , the negotiators were able to secure his surrender .
Objection is only bad if you judge it to be . Change your perspective . The Stated Objection Isn ’ t The Real Problem
In Way of the Wolf , Jordan Belfort , also known as The Wolf of Wall Street , suggests that objections serve as smokescreens for underlying uncertainty .
In essence , objections reflect fear .
The stated objection represents the reasoning ( IQ ) section of the brain which safeguards the emotional ( EQ ) side . The IQ acts as a blocker , shielding the true CEO of the brain — our EQ , which encompasses our genuine concerns , passions , and driving forces .
Let ’ s examine a cold email scenario where a Black Swan student managed to uncover the real objection and move the conversation forward :
Potential Client : “ I already use [ current vendor / competitor ] as my investment advisor . I appreciate your offer , but my goal is to reduce fees and expenses . I wouldn ’ t want to incur additional expenses in the form of advisor fees .”
Sales Rep : “ Thanks for the note . It sounds like fees are your main concern . Are you saying [ current vendor / competitor ] charges lower fees than [ potential vendor company ]?”
Potential Client : “ No , I ’ m saying I have an investment advisor whom I like and trust , and with whom I ’ ve been working with for over five years . I ’ m currently not looking for a replacement .”
Sales Rep : “ I ’ m sorry . Thanks for clarifying . After reading your last email , it looks like trust is your main priority . I understand ! I ’ m certainly not asking you to replace your advisor without knowing me at all . How would you feel about having a low-cost fiduciary like [ potential vendor company ] provide a no-obligation analysis for you ?”
In this example , the potential client initially presented a stated objection regarding fees . The sales rep skillfully delved deeper into the conversation to reveal the client ’ s true objection — a matter of trust .
By labeling trust as the client ’ s main priority , the sales rep demonstrated understanding and then offered a free , no-obligation analysis as a means to build trust .
Your Two Rules For Success
The biggest obstacle in negotiations isn ’ t stated objections but the underlying emotions driving those objections .
Remember : 1 . Objections are simply untapped counteroffers .
2 . The stated objection is blocking for the real objection — which is emotional .
Label your counterpart ’ s responses and follow their threads of thought to eliminate uncertainty .
Your success is never hindered by someone else ’ s concerns but by how well you listen and understand .
If you begin to approach negotiation in this manner , your success , and relationships , will grow .
Chris Voss is the CEO of The Black Swan Group , a firm that solves business negotiation problems with hostage negotiation strategies . Chris is also an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and Georgetown University ’ s McDonough School of Business , where he teaches business negotiation in both MBA programs .
Find out more at www . BlackSwanLtd . com .
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