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There is a saying "Get in Line, Stay in Line", basically it means if your start something keep at it until the end. Some people however give up just before the finish line. Below I share what we can learn from Kids when it comes to persistence in negotiation, once you start don't stop.
Does No really mean no?
Some children left to their own free will, can out last an adult in a verbal argument or negotiation. Kids are built with the extraordinary ability to stay focused on the goal and be so much more persistent than we can be bothered being. This hyper negotiation can happen angrily during a tantrum or seductively as the child pursues the idea of a new bike.
Parents tend to have three strategies to deal with this
#1 - Ignore it, hoping it will go way. But you get what you tolerate ... NOT GOOD
#2 - Diversion: This is good in that, if you can distract a child, it often allows the child to let go long enough to forget the goal ... Effective.
#3 - Dominate them: Basically where you try to assert yourself against the child and make it do what you want. Often aggressive, and in some situations violent. This isn't a game and it's not a negotiation ... Basically it's my way or the highway.
Why is it that we treat our children like wild horses and over the years do all that we can to break them? In the interests of our sanity, peace and quiet, but most importantly the approval of our peers, we effectively crush a child's spirit.
You must do all you can to keep that energy and persistence alive, to nurture it – it should be our goal to mould and direct it, not break it.
The same thing applies with employees. When you employ people they should bring something new to the table. It can be frustrating at times but you need to keep their energy alive and celebrate the challenges.
In Seth's book The Dip he talks about the need for persistence through tough times. Why, if this skill is so important as an adult, would we not celebrate and encourage it in our children. Anything else only has short term gains.
How do you handle the "persistent" employee in your business? Which of the three techniques above do you use? How is that serving you? Could you try something else?
To read the stories in this series so far click here
Some children left to their own free will, can out last an adult in a verbal argument or negotiation. Kids are built with the extraordinary ability to stay focused on the goal and be so much more persistent than we can be bothered being. This hyper negotiation can happen angrily during a tantrum or seductively as the child pursues the idea of a new bike.
Parents tend to have three strategies to deal with this
#1 - Ignore it, hoping it will go way. But you get what you tolerate ... NOT GOOD
#2 - Diversion: This is good in that, if you can distract a child, it often allows the child to let go long enough to forget the goal ... Effective.
#3 - Dominate them: Basically where you try to assert yourself against the child and make it do what you want. Often aggressive, and in some situations violent. This isn't a game and it's not a negotiation ... Basically it's my way or the highway.
Why is it that we treat our children like wild horses and over the years do all that we can to break them? In the interests of our sanity, peace and quiet, but most importantly the approval of our peers, we effectively crush a child's spirit.
You must do all you can to keep that energy and persistence alive, to nurture it – it should be our goal to mould and direct it, not break it.
The same thing applies with employees. When you employ people they should bring something new to the table. It can be frustrating at times but you need to keep their energy alive and celebrate the challenges.
In Seth's book The Dip he talks about the need for persistence through tough times. Why, if this skill is so important as an adult, would we not celebrate and encourage it in our children. Anything else only has short term gains.
How do you handle the "persistent" employee in your business? Which of the three techniques above do you use? How is that serving you? Could you try something else?
To read the stories in this series so far click here