Hard Power in Negotiations

Creating Power Series: Article 1

4 articles exploring power creation in negotiations, beginning with hard power then looking at soft power and smart power. Each uses a CSN client case study to show the negotiation power in action.

Introduction

How do you create negotiation power? Especially when the other party might have more leverage.

A starting point is defining power. Joseph Nye, a political scientist, placed power into three broad categories:

1. Hard power: Using superior resources to impose your will. The traditional concept of power: making others do what they otherwise wouldn’t. Change behaviour or face consequences.

2. Soft Power: Using influence and persuasion to change peoples’ preferences, and so change their behaviour. Influencing hearts and minds, to agenda setting.

3. Smart power: Power created by most effectively combining hard and soft power.

How can hard, soft and smart definitions of power explain negotiation dynamics and outcomes? Below is the first of three CSN case studies, examining the role of each power in turn. A fourth summary article will complete the analysis.

Case Study: Hard Power & The Charity Turnaround.