Reactive-devaluation
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title: Reactive Devaluation description: The same proposal can feel different depending on who makes it.
REACTIVE DEVALUATION
Same offer. Different person. Different reaction.
THE IDEA
Imagine two people make exactly the same proposal.
Person A is someone I trust.
Person B is someone I distrust.
The proposal is identical.
My reaction probably isn’t.
I may immediately search for problems in Person B’s offer.
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WHY?
We don’t evaluate a proposal completely independently from the person making it.
Our perception of the offer is affected by our perception of the negotiator.
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WHY RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
This connects directly to COP21.
If something goes wrong, a trusted person has more room to solve the problem.
The same mistake from someone distrusted can become much bigger.
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THE NEGOTIATION IMPLICATION
Before asking:
“Is this a good offer?”
I should sometimes ask:
“How do I feel about the person making it?”
And the other side is doing the same thing with me.
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CONNECTED IDEAS
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REMEMBER
Trust changes the perceived value of an offer.
