If You Need to Put Negotiating Pressure on the Other Side, Try Good Guy / Bad Guy

Good Guy/Bad Guy is one of the best knownGuy: The first Counter-Gambit is simply to identify
negotiating gambits. Charles Dickens first wrotethe Gambit. Although there are many other ways
about it in his book Great Expectations. In theto handle the problem, this one is so effective
opening scene of the story, the young hero Pip isthat it's probably the only one you need to know.
in the graveyard when out of the sinister mistGood Guy/Bad Guy is so well known that it
comes a large, very frightening man. This man isembarrasses people when they get caught using
a convict, and he has chains around his legs. Heit. When you notice the other person using it you
asks Pip to go into the village and bring back foodshould smile and say, "Oh, come on-you aren't
and a file, so he can remove the chains. Thegoing to play Good Guy/Bad Guy with me are
convict has a dilemma, however. He wants toyou? Come on, sit down, let's work this thing out."
scare the child into doing as he's asked, yet heUsually their embarrassment will cause them to
mustn't put so much pressure on Pip that he'll beretreat from the position. You could respond by
frozen in place or bolt into town to tell thecreating a bad guy of your own. Tell them that
policeman.The solution to the convict's problem isyou'd love to do what they want, but you have
to use the Good Guy/Bad Guy Gambit. Takingpeople back in the head office who are obsessed
some liberty with the original work, what thewith sticking to the program. You can always
convict says in effect, is "You know, Pip, I likemake a fictitious bad guy appear more unyielding
you, and I would never do anything to hurt youthan a bad guy who is present at the negotiation.
But I have to tell you that waiting out here in theYou could go over their heads to their supervisor.
mist is a friend of mine and he can be violent andFor example, if you're dealing with a buyer and
I'm the only one who can control him. If I don'thead buyer at a distributorship, you might call the
get these chains off-if you don't help me getowner of the distributorship and say, "Your people
them off-then my friend might come after you.were playing Good Guy/Bad Guy with me. You
So, you have to help me. Do you understand?"don't approve of that kind of thing, do you?"
Good Guy/Bad Guy is a very effective way of(Always be cautious about going over someone's
putting pressure on people, withouthead. The strategy can easily backfire because of
confrontation.I'm sure you've seen Good Guy/Badthe bad feelings it can cause.) Sometimes just
Guy used in the old police movies. Officers bring aletting the bad guy talk resolves the problem,
suspect into the police station for questioning, andespecially if he's being obnoxious. Eventually his
the first detective to interrogate him is a rough,own people will get tired of hearing it and tell him
tough, mean-looking guy. He threatens theto knock it off. You can counter Good Guy/Bad
suspect with all kinds of things that they're goingGuy by saying to the Good Guy, "Look, I
to do to him. Then he's mysteriously called awayunderstand what you two are doing to me. From
to take a phone call, and the second detective,now on anything that he says, I'm going to
who's brought in to look after the prisoner whileattribute to you also." Now you have two bad
the first detective is away, is the warmest, nicestguys to deal with, so it diffuses the Gambit.
guy in the entire world. He sits down and makesSometimes just identifying them both in your own
friends with the prisoner. He gives him a cigarettemind as bad guys will handle it, without you having
and says, "Listen kid, it's really not as bad as allto come out and accuse them. If the other side
that. I've taken a liking to you. I know the ropesshows up with an attorney or controller who is
around here. Why don't you let me see what Iclearly there to play bad guy, jump right in and
can do for you?" It's a real temptation to thinkforestall their role. Say to them, "I'm sure you're
that the Good Guy's on your side when, ofhere to play bad guy, but let's not take that
course, he really isn't.Then the Good Guy wouldapproach. I'm as eager to find a solution to this
go ahead and close on what salespeople wouldsituation as you are, so why don't we all take a
recognize as a minor point close. "All I think thewin-win approach. Fair enough?" This really takes
detectives really need to know," he tells thethe wind out of their sails.This Gambit is very,
prisoner, "is where did you buy the gun?" What hevery effective even when everybody knows
really wants to know is, "Where did you hide thewhat's going on. It was how Presidents Carter and
body?"Starting out with a minor point like that andReagan got the hostages out of Iran, wasn't it?
then working up from there, works very well,You remember that? Carter had lost the election.
doesn't it? The car salesperson says to you, "IfHe was very eager to do something about the
you did invest in this car would you get the blueIranian hostage situation before he left the White
or the gray?" "Would you want the vinylHouse and Reagan could take credit for their
upholstery or the leather?" Little decisions lead torelease. So, he started playing Good Guy/Bad
big ones. The real estate salesperson who says,Guy with the Ayatollah. He said to him, "If I were
"If you did invest in this home, how would youyou, I'd settle this thing with me. Don't take a
arrange the furniture in the living room?" Or,chance on this new team coming into office in
"Which of these bedrooms would be the nurseryJanuary. My goodness, have you taken a look at
for your new baby?" Little decisions grow to bigthese guys? The President's a former cowboy
decisions.People use Good Guy/Bad Guy on youactor. The Vice President is the former head of
much more than you might believe. Look out forthe C.I.A. The Secretary of State is Alexander
it anytime you find yourself dealing with twoHaig. These guys are crazier than Englishmen.
people. Chances are you'll see it being used onThere's no telling what they might do."Reagan,
you, in one form or another.For example, youplaying along with it, said, "Hey, if I were you, I'd
may sell corporate health insurance plans for ansettle with Carter. He's a nice guy. You're
HMO and have made an appointment to meetdefinitely not going to like what I'll have to say
with the Vice-President of Human Resources at aabout it, when I get into the White House." And
company that manufactures lawn mowers. Whensure enough, we saw the hostages being released
the secretary leads you in to meet with the viceon the morning of Reagan's inauguration. Of
president, you find to your surprise that thecourse, the Iranians were aware of Good Guy
president of the company wants to sit in andBad Guy, but they didn't want to take a chance
listen in on your presentation.That's negotiatingthat Reagan would follow through with his threats.
two on one, which is not good, but you go aheadIt demonstrated that these Gambits work even
and everything appears to be going along fine.when the other side knows what you're doing.In
You feel that you have a good chance of closing1994, Jimmy Carter was again called upon to play
the sale, until the president suddenly starts gettingthe Good Guy when he and Colen Powell went to
irritated. Eventually he says to his vice president,Haiti to see if they could get General Cedras to
"Look, I don't think these people are interested ingive up power without a fight. Powell was there
making a serious proposal to us. I'm sorry, butto impress the might of the armed forces upon
I've got things to do." Then he storms out of theCedras. Carter was there to cozy up the dictator,
room.This really shakes you up if you're not usedeven suggesting he come to Plains, Georgia, and
to negotiating. Then the vice-president says,teach a class in Sunday School when the crisis
"Wow. Sometimes he gets that way, but I reallywas over.KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER: People use
like the plan that you presented, and I think weGood Guy/Bad Guy on you much more than you
can still work this out. If you could be a little moremight believe. Look out for it whenever you're
flexible on your price, then I think we can still putnegotiating with two or more people. It is a very
it together. Tell you what-why don't you let meeffective way of putting pressure on the other
see what I can do for you with him?"If you don'tperson without creating confrontation. Counter it
realize what they're doing to you, you'll hearby identifying it. It's such a well-known tactic that
yourself say something like, "What do you thinkwhen you catch them using it, they get
the president would agree to?" Then it won't beembarrassed and back off. Don't be concerned
long before you'll have the vice-presidentthat the other side knows what you're doing.
negotiating for you-and he or she is not even onEven if they do it can still be a powerful tactic. In
your side.If you think I'm exaggerating on thisfact, when you're Power Negotiating with
one, consider this: Haven't you, at one time orsomeone who understands all of these Gambits, it
another, said to a car salesperson, "What do youbecomes more fun. It's like playing chess with a
think you could get your sales manager to agreeperson of equal skill rather than someone whom
to?" As if the salesperson is on your side, not onyou can easily outsmart.Roger Dawson
theirs? Haven't we all at one time been buying realFounder of the Power Negotiating Institute
estate and have found the property we want to800-932-9766
buy, so we say to the agent that has beenDawson is the author of two of
helping us find the property, "What do you thinkNightingale-Conant's best selling audiocassette
the sellers would take?" Let me ask youprograms, Secrets of Power Negotiating and
something. Who is your agent working for? WhoSecrets of Power Negotiating for Salespeople.
is paying her? It's not you, is it? She is workingThis article is excerpted in part from Roger
for the seller and yet she has effectively playedDawson's new book - "Secrets of Power
Good Guy/Bad Guy with us. So, look out for it,Negotiating", published by Career Press and on
because you run into it a lot.Power Negotiatorssale in bookstores everywhere for $24.99.
use several Counter-Gambits to Good Guy/Bad