Secrets of Power Negotiating

Chapter 12Middle Negotiating Gambits: Handling Deadlocks

In the previous two chapters, I’ve shown you how to handle the first two levels of problems that can occur, the impasse and the stalemate. If things get any worse, you may reach a deadlock, something that I defined as, “both sides are so frustrated with the lack of progress that they see no point in talking to each other any more.”

Deadlocks are rare, but if you do reach one, the only way to resolve it is to bring in a third party—someone who will act as a mediator or arbitrator. As you’ll see in Chapter 34 and Chapter 35, there is a major difference between an arbitrator and a mediator. In the case of an arbitrator, both sides agree before the process starts that they will abide by the ...