A Financial Adviser Wins the War for Talent with Negotiation
One financial adviser who oversees a team of managers within a financial services company enlisted the help of Black Swan for negotiation training.
After reading Never Split the Difference©, the adviser went to Black Swan’s website and decided to sign up for coaching calls with Derek Gaunt. The adviser did a few personal calls with Derek and then brought in the rest of his team for training sessions, which took place over six weeks.
“We went right through the program Derek designed around what we were looking for: tips on how to succeed in negotiations of all kinds, how to have better interpersonal interactions, how to become a better listener, how to ask better questions—all sorts of things,” the adviser explains. “It was impactful and incredible—very well done. Derek is a master.”
The training has helped the adviser and his team become better listeners—and in turn, experience better business outcomes.
Armed with a deeper understanding of how people operate, the team is now able to get more information from the other side, using tactical empathy and other Black Swan techniques to connect with them. For example, the financial adviser’s team recently used their training to convince a very talented candidate to work for them.
“I think we won the talent because they felt like we connected with them, we listened to them, and we understood who they were and what their goals were.”
It turns out that listening, the adviser says, is what sets him and his team apart from many of their competitors.
“Most of us listen just to reply. The superpower I learned from the training was to become a better listener by listening more and talking less. And when you do talk, have good questions. That’ll help you get more information. You’ll learn how to see the world from their point of view and really get inside the head of the other person.”
The adviser says that understanding which of the three personality types you’re dealing with during a negotiation is incredibly helpful. But it’s also something most people overlook.
Beyond that, asking what and how questions—or calibrated questions™— has helped his team uncover hidden information that proved to be game-changing.
In particular, the adviser has found success by asking this question: What needs to be true for you to X?
“That’s a showstopper. People start thinking—you can read it in their body language. These kinds of questions build trust.”
The adviser believes that the Black Swan teachings can apply to any endeavor in life—from business negotiations and picking a restaurant with your spouse to having beers with your buddy or ordering food at a cafe.
"A lot of it is non-intuitive, You’ve got to trust the system. But you can test it all the time. And once you see how effective it is, you’ll be convinced, too"
The adviser encourages folks like you to read Chris’ book, as well as Derek’s book, Ego, Authority, Failure©: Using Emotional Intelligence Like a Hostage Negotiator to Succeed as a Leader. He’s read both several times and has given copies of each to his friends.
“Having the books is massive. You learn that you’ve got to step outside yourself and start looking at things from the other person’s point of view if you ever want to connect or get to yes or that’s right.”
As soon as you read the books and start learning these new skills, you need to deploy them. A great way to practice, the adviser says, is over dinner. Come up with a handful of calibrated questions™ and ask them throughout the evening.
“When you leave, the other person will think, That person is the best conversationalist I ever met.”
Are You Ready to Sharpen Your Negotiation Skills?
Everything we’ve previously been taught about negotiation is wrong. No one is purely rational and nothing in life is fair. You may have the facts and logic on your side. But all too often, that’s not enough.
By understanding what makes people tick and working diligently to see things from their perspective during every conversation, all areas of your life will improve. In the business realm, you’ll find it easier to guide people toward the outcomes you’re aiming for—and have them say thank you when all is said and done.
Further your training by attending a live event, enrolling in online courses, hiring Black Swan for business training, or signing up for negotiation coaching.