There is such a thing as emotion-producing tactics. These include, for example: threatening, intimidating, 'take it or leave it’, 'widows and orphans’. If we encounter such techniques, the ability to control our emotions and the emotions of people sitting on the other side of the negotiation table will be extremely important.

Below are some steps/actions that will help us deal with emotions at the negotiation table:

• listen very carefully and observe your negotiating partners
• try to understand your opponents’ emotions
• ask questions about the causes of their emotional state
• try to define the negotiation goals of your interlocutors (even in a very general way)
• emphasize your goals
• find and emphasize the convergence of the goals of both parties
• correct errors, incorrect data, understatements
• don’t run away from emotional behavior (apologize if you did something wrong, point out to the other party how their behavior affects your emotions)
• make concessions carefully, but emphasize the importance of each concession on your part
• try to build an atmosphere of trust
• avoid radical statements/opinions
• take advantage of the other side’s willingness to help

Generalizing, remember that:

• The first step to dealing with emotions is to identify them. This is about both our own emotions and the emotions of our opponents.
• The second step will be to assess whether the identified emotions work to our advantage or to the advantage of the negotiation process.
• The third step is to deal with emotions that negatively affect the process (silencing the emotions or at least minimizing their impact).

Source:https://poradniknegocjatora.pl/radzenie-sobie-z-emocjami/

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.