Big idea #8 - Abraham Maslow and negotiations. by Gerard I. Nierenberg, The Complete Negotiator

In my previous post, from Nierenberg's book, I talked about the “Pitfall of assumptions”, today i want to present big idea #8 What motivates us in a negotiation?

The satisfaction of needs motivates virtually every type of human behavior and when preparing for negotiation, time permits us to study only the broad and obvious categories that address only the most essential and predictable needs, such as money and commercial gains.

Professor Abraham H. Maslow in his book Motivation and Personality, presents seven categories of needs as basic factors in human behavior, this can act as a framework for expanding our negotiation preparation and understanding of the deeper motivations behind negotiators.

1. Physiological needs

2. Safety and security needs

3. Love and belonging needs

4. Esteem needs

5. Self-actualization needs

6. Needs to know and to understand

7. Aesthetic needs

Research has shown that the motivation of salespeople globally might at face value be restricted only to money, but when asked about the deeper motivators the most predominate answers are self-approval and social approval, the gratification of closing a really tough deal and the possibility of recognition from peers and managers, often outweighs the monetary compensation. The term used by Maslow is self-actualization, the desire and striving to become everything that one is capable of becoming, this desire takes different forms and will change from individual to individual.

As you prepare for your next commercial negotiations, remember not to focus only on the obvious commercial outcomes of the process (for yourself and the other side), but instead dig deeper into the “human needs” that are common to all of us and remember to connect at a higher level to the other side.