#31 - Negotiating with the Truth: Why Politicians Stretch the Facts... and Whether It Helps

Donald Trump insists that he won the 2020 election. Barack Obama stated that the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate wasn’t a tax when, in effect, it was. Nancy Pelosi famously declared, “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.” George W. Bush used questionable facts to justify the war in Iraq. If there’s one truth, it’s that politicians often misrepresent it, which raises the question: why?

Is it advantageous to lie to get your way (or at least try)?

This week on S4N, Gene explores the role of facts in negotiation – and mixed opinions on the matter that date back to Machiavelli. Do all parties need to agree on the facts to make a deal? Where’s the line between truth and strategic misrepresentation? What kinds of truth-stretching are acceptable – and which are not? Does objective truth exist, and does it even matter in negotiation? And: can the truth actually be an obstacle to a successful business negotiation?

Remember: negotiation is life.

Mentioned in this episode: 

• The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli 
• A Bronx Tale, the 1993 film directed by Robert de Niro 
• "What Wikipedia Teaches Us About Balancing Truth and Beliefs," TED Talk by Katherine Maher on June 28, 2022