Max Bazerman

Yeah. So to begin with, you kind of already brought up an answer. To what extent can we put on a veil of ignorance so that we're not as biased by our own lens? We have found that people are pretty good at taking a neutral perspective if we ask them to, and to put on a veil of ignorance and think about that problem. So it's not that we're incapable of thinking about the other side. We simply don't.

Yeah. So to begin with, you kind of already brought up an answer. To what extent can we put on a veil of ignorance so that we're not as biased by our own lens? We have found that people are pretty good at taking a neutral perspective if we ask them to, and to put on a veil of ignorance and think about that problem. So it's not that we're incapable of thinking about the other side. We simply don't.

Yeah. So to begin with, you kind of already brought up an answer. To what extent can we put on a veil of ignorance so that we're not as biased by our own lens? We have found that people are pretty good at taking a neutral perspective if we ask them to, and to put on a veil of ignorance and think about that problem. So it's not that we're incapable of thinking about the other side. We simply don't.

And the more they're distant from us, the easier it is to ignore their critical role in a negotiation. So simply stopping and adopting in the perspective of the other side not only makes you a nicer person, but it strategically makes you a more effective person to understand who they are in the negotiation.

And the more they're distant from us, the easier it is to ignore their critical role in a negotiation. So simply stopping and adopting in the perspective of the other side not only makes you a nicer person, but it strategically makes you a more effective person to understand who they are in the negotiation.

And the more they're distant from us, the easier it is to ignore their critical role in a negotiation. So simply stopping and adopting in the perspective of the other side not only makes you a nicer person, but it strategically makes you a more effective person to understand who they are in the negotiation.

And the failure to consider the perspective of the other side is one of the key barriers that keeps negotiators from being more effective.

And the failure to consider the perspective of the other side is one of the key barriers that keeps negotiators from being more effective.

And the failure to consider the perspective of the other side is one of the key barriers that keeps negotiators from being more effective.

There is something kind of over-the-top obvious about not listening to the other side. But so often in real life, we think of negotiations simply as a haggling session when we could be so much more effective if we think about it strategically by asking, how can I best understand the perspective in which they're making me an offer? To what extent do they need me in their firm?

There is something kind of over-the-top obvious about not listening to the other side. But so often in real life, we think of negotiations simply as a haggling session when we could be so much more effective if we think about it strategically by asking, how can I best understand the perspective in which they're making me an offer? To what extent do they need me in their firm?

There is something kind of over-the-top obvious about not listening to the other side. But so often in real life, we think of negotiations simply as a haggling session when we could be so much more effective if we think about it strategically by asking, how can I best understand the perspective in which they're making me an offer? To what extent do they need me in their firm?

What are they going to do if I don't accept their offer? This helps me to formulate how far I can push things to my advantage. It also provides a basis for understanding where there's interesting opportunities for trades.

What are they going to do if I don't accept their offer? This helps me to formulate how far I can push things to my advantage. It also provides a basis for understanding where there's interesting opportunities for trades.

What are they going to do if I don't accept their offer? This helps me to formulate how far I can push things to my advantage. It also provides a basis for understanding where there's interesting opportunities for trades.

That's right. So sort of a wonderful example of what you just described is the work of Linda Babcock and George Lowenstein. They basically study people in a legal dispute. So everyone agrees that there's been an accident.

That's right. So sort of a wonderful example of what you just described is the work of Linda Babcock and George Lowenstein. They basically study people in a legal dispute. So everyone agrees that there's been an accident.

That's right. So sort of a wonderful example of what you just described is the work of Linda Babcock and George Lowenstein. They basically study people in a legal dispute. So everyone agrees that there's been an accident.

And what they find is that the plaintiff's role, the role representing the injured party, think that the case is worth roughly twice what the party representing the defendant thinks it's worth. And some people say, but it's only a simulation.

And what they find is that the plaintiff's role, the role representing the injured party, think that the case is worth roughly twice what the party representing the defendant thinks it's worth. And some people say, but it's only a simulation.