Follow these four steps to a winning counter proposal!
Step One: Restate their words exactly as they said them
- It seems to me that you are saying . . .
- What I hear is . . . .
Step Two: Ask clarifying questions
- What is your greatest concern here today?
- What bothers you the most about that suggestion?
- What about that is important to you?
- Tell me more about that.
- What does that look like to you?
- If you were in my shoes, what would you suggest?
Step Three: Reframe their response in a way that will allow them to be heard and reflects their interests.
- I hear what you are saying. You are saying that _________ {positive statement} is important to you.
- I get it now. _________ {positive statement} is important to you.
Step Four: Make a counter proposal. Now that you understand what the other person is trying to say, and the other person feels heard, s/he is much more likely to greet a counter proposal as an invitation to solve the problem.
- Now that I understand ____________ {positive statement} is important, what if we were to . . .