Key playersin Mendelow’s Stakeholder Matrix (high power, high interest) must beactively engagedand involved in important decisions. Meetings are an effective way to build commitment, gain input, and secure their ongoing support.

In high-value, high-risk partnerships, success depends oncollaboration, trust, and shared goals. Hence,inspiring,consulting, andcollaboratingstyles promote open communication and joint problem-solving.

Behaviours thatundermine honesty(e.g.,exaggerated claimsandfavouritism) erode credibility and trust in negotiations. Hardball techniques can be competitive but are not inherently dishonest; lack of a fixed agenda affects structure, not honesty.

Separating people from the problem means you treat the relationship and the substantive issues as distinct. Pushback on a proposal is not a personal attack; it’s part of clarifying interests and criteria. Keeping relationship concerns separate helps maintain respect and reduces defensiveness.

Acold(detached) andtough(adversarial) style discourages collaboration and may escalate conflict. CIPS categorises influencing behaviour across two dimensions—warm vs cold and tough vs soft—with “cold and tough” seen as destructive.

Brinkmanship is the tactic of deliberately pushing a negotiation toward the “brink,” using extreme pressure and risk tolerance in pursuit of a decisive concession or outcome. A powerful BATNA can embolden this approach, though it heightens relational and reputational risk.

Rationalisingbelongs to thepush influencing style. It uses logic, facts, and evidence to convince others, leveraging authority or data. It contrasts withpull techniquessuch as inspiring and consulting, which engage others collaboratively.