Negotiations and not splitting the difference – My Carl Jungesque perspective

In the collective unconscious lies the eternal flow of give and take, forming the foundation of human connection. Negotiation represents more than transaction; it embodies the integration of opposing forces within the psyche.

A friend of mine recently suggested Chris Voss’s “Never Split the Difference”. Little did I expect to be awaken by negotiation’s deepest psychological dimensions.

Growing up in Morocco immersed me in the vibrant negotiation culture of the souks, where I would engage with the merchant in a conversation that transcends commerce, it is a mezcla of personas. What begins as opposition evolves into unity through the symbolic exchange of perspectives.

The Western world’s adoption of a fixed pricing systems represents a form of social rigidity. Standardized pricing provides convenience, but at the psychological expense of reduced human connection. The fixed price reduces the ritual of engagement that activates the negotiator archetype and allows for deeper social relationships.

In its most profound form, negotiation is a social connection process that integrates competing psychological contents between people rather than within a single psyche.

By reclaiming our negotiation consciousness, we not only secure better deals and win-win situations but also engage more authentically with others, creating genuine exchanges rather than transactional convenience.