Power Of Underestimation Analysis

The Power of Underestimation
It was a pure pleasure listening to the four negotiation experts to share and discuss about their stories, experiences, and strengths in negotiation. From Foxman’s story about leveraging on underestimation to Biechele’s story about that there are always ways around the dead-end; I learned that negotiation is much more than just slicing the pie, it is an art. Moreover, there are various components and techniques involved in the process that truly makes negotiation intriguing and significant.
Rebecca Foxman’s story about leveraging on underestimation intrigued me. A young lady with a small body frame, not only thrives on underestimation, but also uses it as a fuel for success. People in the workforce often underestimate her because of her appearance. For example, she told us a story where she disapproved every single argument that the counterpart claimed. She achieved this because her opponent has completely underestimated her and was not prepared to do so. As a result, she attacks by surprise and thrives on the fact that others will be over-confident, misjudging
In the book, Sun Tzu believes that one should not reveal his true strength and keep it as a leverage to surprise the enemy. For example, if one has a strong army or a strong weapon, instead of displaying it to the enemy explicitly, one should strive to conceive it. Sun Tzu believes that this could lead the enemy to misjudge the situation. As a result, the enemy often becomes over-confident, makes irrational decision, creates careless mistakes, and attempts hasty attacks. On the other hand, if one could integrate and protect his power from being discovered, he could leverage on his strength and attack the enemy by surprise, which is one of the core foundations of the book. Similarly, Rebecca is able to thrive on underestimation and use it to fuel