The Power of Softening Your Position through Dialogue

Engage in dialogue that encourages the other person to reflect on their position, leading to a softening of your stance. Use labelling to restate and test your understanding of the other person's behavior, helping them to either own it or reject it. Research shows that expert negotiators spend more time labelling behaviors and testing understanding. Effective labelling involves using neutral language such as 'it seems like' or 'it sounds like' to avoid casting negative judgment.