Opening Moves

Abstract

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is an old admonition that underscores the importance of first impressions in interactions between people. Just as first impressions in a job interview may mean the difference between being hired and being rejected, opening moves in a negotiation can influence the course of the discussion positively or negatively for a long time afterward. Opening moves may even be the difference between making the deal and walking away empty-handed. How a negotiation begins can profoundly affect how it ends. So deciding on the right opening move is an important tactical question. As a result, you should carefully plan your opening moves in any negotiation. In planning your opening move, you should consider and evaluate three critical elements: (1) your range of opening options, (2) the intended and unintended messages embedded in each option, and (3) the likely reaction of the other side to the opening move you might make.