“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.” – Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu also highlighted the significance of patience and timing in negotiations. Understanding when to strike and when to retreat can be the difference between success and failure. By carefully assessing the negotiation landscape and capitalizing on advantageous moments, business leaders can maximize their chances of achieving win-win outcomes. The biggest piece of patience and timing in negotiations is the ability of the business to be proactive versus reactive. A business will be able to outwit and outlast their competition, by coming to the table with competitive intelligence, energy, and a feel for the lay of the land.
Proactive vs. Reactive Strategies
Sun Tzu advises to always leave room to pivot away from a decision, and furthermore never display all your value at one time. Before a negotiations begin, prepare for all likely outcomes. Proactive strategy enable patience until an opportunity arises to seize the most valuable outcome.
Listening and Timing
Listen more than you speak, and keep an open mind as you do. In a negotiation, you must not get so bogged down by the details that you lose sight of your main focus, your ideal outcome. Sit back while listening critically to the opponent’s suggestions. You must read body language, test boundaries, and probe their limitations. If you find a weakness, exploit it, but don’t put all your cards on the table. Only use as much energy and as many resources as necessary for each move; conserve the rest for a decisive final blow.
Real-World Applications
With proper preparation, a business can succeed in any negotiation. They must evaluate the value they bring to the table as well as the value their opponent brings. Before any negotiation begins a business must know where their interests align, where they benefit one another, and where they would incur risk. They must know the capabilities of themselves and their opponent, and they must know exactly what they are willing to wager on before they ever sit down together.
Conclusion
By embracing patience and timing, businesses can navigate negotiations with greater strategic insight and achieve more favorable outcomes. Sun Tzu’s principles offer timeless guidance that can enhance negotiation strategies and lead to sustained success.
This article is the fifth in a series of 6 articles related to Mastering Business Warfare with Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”. The Art of War is available free at The internet classics archive.