Studying how things work and gaining an understanding of cause and effect are motivational drivers that many of us find fascinating. I have no doubt that those who drive in NASCAR know some of what is going on under their hoods, so they can maximize the vehicle. So it is with you, whether the hood we're discussing is your car, the environment, your business systems or you. In this chapter, you will learn about areas of the brain that “light up” when negotiating. Knowing about some of these facets and taking relatively minor steps to manage them can actually help you be a better negotiator.
Given our current understanding, we know the human brain communicates via both electrical and chemical signals. These signals are used to transfer information among the various regions of the brain. Now consider those regions that deal with specialized operations such as short term memory and decision-making. Memory and decision making are, of course, crucial to negotiation. What a shock, right? So, anything that tends to disrupt these signals and/or cause negative physiological changes will have an impact on decision-making and in turn, your negotiation. This is enough reason for us to be concerned since studying these causal relationships and its effects on cognition leads to higher levels of understanding. Understanding more about the systems involved may also assist in your retention of concepts presented, rather than relying on rote memorization.
The human brain is an amazing mechanism; here are some things you should know as it relates to negotiating.