POWER

The most reliable source of negotiating power is preparation. The negotiator who knows more — about the deal, the market, the other side's position, their own alternatives — operates from a position of genuine confidence. That confidence is visible. It changes the dynamic before a word has been spoken. Preparation is not just about knowing your numbers. It is about having thought through every scenario, every move the other side might make, and every response available to you.

How you behave in a negotiation signals your power position — often more accurately than anything you say. Urgency signals need. Anxiety signals weakness. Calm signals confidence. The negotiator who can manage their behaviour under pressure — who can sit in silence, absorb an aggressive anchor without reacting, and move at their own pace — projects power regardless of their structural position.

Your BATNA — Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement — is the foundation of your power. Without a genuine alternative, you cannot walk away. And without the ability to walk away, you are not negotiating. You are managing a surrender. Developing real alternatives before entering a negotiation is not just good practice. It is the single most important thing you can do to improve your power position.

Information asymmetry is one of the most powerful forces in negotiation. The party that knows more about the other side's constraints, priorities and alternatives has a structural advantage. This cuts both ways: the information you reveal about your own position is as important as the information you gather about theirs. Skilled negotiators are disciplined about what they share, when they share it, and how they use what they learn.

When you make a move in a negotiation matters as much as what the move is. A concession made under pressure signals weakness. The same concession made at a moment of your choosing, as part of a deliberate strategy, signals control. Timing is also about knowing when not to move — when to hold your position, absorb pressure, and wait for the other side to blink first.