Canadian entrepreneur and mom-of-two manjitminhas reveals the tactics that work equally well on CEOs and small children.
. Here’s how she handles negotiations with her toughest adversaries: her two daughters, ages nine and 12.So many! One is the “take it or leave it” method. Sometimes my husband and I play good cop/bad cop—I’m always the bad cop. Other times I’ll offer a bogey, which is an issue you pretend is important to you, but really isn’t. Or we use a “door in the face,” where you make an unreasonable demand so a second, smaller offer is likely to be accepted.
. She surprised me and said, “Mom, I’ll layer.” I said, “OK, that’s a deal.” More recently, our older daughter was invited to an event at her new school that was going to go beyond her bedtime. She brought her points: It was a chance to make new friends, and leaving early would be awkward. I got where she was coming from, so we settled on a time.come up—anger, tears—I often walk away. Then I do my homework and come back with a plan.Listening. People often just want to be heard.