Page 262 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Notes 5. “They had it coming,” or “They deserve it,” or “I’m just getting my due.”
6. “They were going to do it anyway, so I will do it first.”
7. “He started it.”
8. The tactic is fair or appropriate to the situation.

How can negotiators deal with the other party’s use of deception?
1. Ask probing questions
2. Force the other party to lie or back off

12.9 Detecting Deception

Researchers have identified a number of verbal tactics that you can use to determine whether the
other party is acting deceptively.

Table 12.3

Tactics Explanation and Examples
Intimidation Force the other to admit he is using deception by intimidating him into
telling the truth. Make a no-nonsense accusation of the other. Criticize
the other. Hammer the other with challenging questions. Feign
indifference to what he has to say (“I’ am not interested in anything you
have to say on the matter”).

Futility portrayal Emphasize the futility and impending danger associated with continued
deceit: “The truth will come out someday,”
“Don’t dig the hole deeper by trying to cover it up,” “If you try to cover it
up, it will only be worse in the future, “You are all alone in your
deception.”

Discomfort and State the maxim, “Confession is food for the soul.” Help others to reduce
relief the tension and stress associated with being a known deceiver.

Bluffing Lie to the other to make her/him believe you have uncovered her/his
deception: “Your sins are about to be uncovered.” Indicate that you
know what she/he knows but will not discuss it.

Gentle Prods Encourage the other to keep talking so that he gives you information
that may help you separate true facts from deceptions. Ask him to
elaborate on the topic being discussed. Ask questions but indicate that
you are asking because “other people want to know.” Play devil’s
advocate and ask playful questions. Praise the other so as to give him
confidence and support that may lead to information sharing.

Minimisation Play down the significance of any deceptive act. Help the other find
excuses for why he was deceptive; minimise the consequences of the
action; shift the blame to someone else.

Contradiction Get the other to tell his story fully in order to discover more information
that will allow you to discover inconsistencies and contradictions in his
comments or reports. Point out and ask for explanations about apparent
contradictions. Ask the speaker the same question several times and
look for inconsistencies in his response. Put pressure on the speaker
and get him to slip up or say things he doesn’t want to say.

Altered information Alter information and hopefully trick the other into revealing deception.
Exaggerate what you believe is the deception, hoping that the other will
jump in to “correct” the statement. Ask the suspected deceiver a
Contd....
question containing incorrect information and hope he corrects you.

A chink in the Try to get the other to admit a small or partial lie about some
defence information, and use this to push for admission of a larger lie: “If you lied
about this one little thing, how do I know you have not lied about other
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things?”

Self-disclosure Reveal a number of things about yourself, including, perhaps,
dishonesty on your own part, hoping the other will begin to trust you and
reciprocate with disclosures of his dishonesty.

Point of deception Point out behaviours you detect in the other that might be an indication
cues he is lying: sweating, nervousness, change of voice, inability to make
eye contact, and so on.

Concern Indicate your true concern for the other’s welfare: “You are important to
me”, “I care deeply about you”, “I feel your pain.”

Keeping the status Admonish the other to be truthful in order to maintain his good name.
quo “What will people think?” appeal to his pride and desire to maintain a
good reputation.