As I wrote in my last posting, I need to negotiate soon with someone who has, I feel, severe psychological issues. I need his cooperation to reach a goal that matters a lot to me.
To negotiate with this person, I need to first address some relationship issues. We don't need to become best friends. But I need to address relationship issues that bear directly on my goal.
It isn't going to be easy. When I listen to his perceptions of the situation, I expect to have to sift through mountains of paranoia and unjust accusations just to find scraps of sound reason. I have to look for those scraps. I have to acknowledge that those scraps make some sense, that I can see why he'd think those things. Only if I do this with real sincerity will he believe that I respect his point of view. Real sincerity. I can't shortcut this process. If he feels that I'm really listening to him and giving him some credit for his point of view on SOME things, there is a chance he'll listen when I completely dismiss his point of view in OTHER areas.
Overall, I'd say the odds of success aren't very high. I can be patient. I can listen. I can acknowledge. I can express my point of view respectfully. But I'm guessing that this other person still will not budge. I just need to know that I tried.
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