Finally tonight, NewsHour economics correspondent Paul Solman...
今晚最后一則報道,新聞一小時經(jīng)濟頻道記者保羅·索門...
...reports on the art of doing a difficult negotiation during tough economic times.
...報道關于在經(jīng)濟困難時期進行一次艱難談判的藝術。
That's part of his ongoing reporting on Making Sense of financial news.
這是他正在進行的關于了解財經(jīng)新聞意義的報道。
Can we lower the interest rates that I pay?
對于我所支付的可以降低利率嗎?
Can we can we make the mortgage extend for longer?
我們可以使抵押貸款延長較長時間嗎?
At Harvard Law School learning to negotiate, student Erum Sattar...
在哈佛大學法學院學習談判的學生Erum Sattar...
...had agreed to role-play a typical debt - hobbled homeowner these days.
已同意進行角色扮演,扮演一位這些天典型受債務困擾的房主。
I don't see how it's in your interest to foreclose this property.
我不明白怎樣你會感興趣取消對這所房屋的抵押品贖回權。
Is there nothing that we can do to work this deal out,...
難道我們無能為力制定出一項方案...
...something that helps you and it helps, you know, us stay in the house?
對你有所幫助及你知道的,幫助我們繼續(xù)住在這座房子里的方案?
Michael Aktipis played the banker who won't budge.
I would love to help you out, but how can I make an exception for you,...
...when I have hundreds of people every day contacting me, asking me to do the same thing?
If he doesn't have that authority, who does?
Ask him.
Coaching and critiquing, negotiation guru Robert Mnookin.
The words you use, the tone you use, your language;
...it all matters, because it could affect how the other person reacts.
Mnookin is the author of a new book with a timely thesis.
"Bargaining with the Devil" is a book about the most difficult kinds of negotiations...
...where your adversary is someone you don't trust,...
...who you think may be out to harm you.
You may even think they're evil.
Erum and Michael, you know all about the case.
But whether it's your loan servicer or a cousin demanding grandma's engagement ring;...
...take the economic approach, says Mnookin.
Try to make a trade.
Renegotiate.
The metaphor I use is, the carnivore is eager to trade his broccoli...
...for a lamb chop owned by a vegetarian.
It's that they have different preferences...
...that allows you to make both sides better off through trades.
In other words, a win-win solution.
Better for the bank and better for us.
Which of course, sounds a lot easier than it is to achieve.
Emotions are often running very high,...
...and it's very hard for what I call the "Mr. Spock" in yourself:...
...the cool, dispassionate, rational actor to think things through.
All I can tell you is, you have to pay $2,000 a month.
As if to prove Mnookin's point, emotions ran high in our mortgage negotiation,...
...which wasn't even real.
We're literally going to have to leave this house if you don't help us.
I mean, we are desperate.
Go for it.
Good luck ever getting a mortgage again.
"Aha!" says Mnookin.
Michael's warning is a typical case of BATNA bashing.
BATNA is negotiation jargon for your best alternative to a negotiating agreement.
In other words, if I can't make a deal with you,...
...what is my best alternative away from the table that doesn't require...
...any help from you at all?
BATNA bashing is to say to someone, "Your alternative is terrible!"
It's to try to remind the other person how bad their alternative is.
Which is just how our mock session played out.