What Happened?
The boys became afraid and stopped talking. This behavior was interpreted by the police as being noncooperative and a sign of possible guilt for something else they might have done. The police understand that it's natural for someone to be nervous when being questioned; they don't understand when someone withdraws and refuses to answer their questions. The COLD Negotiator doesn't want trouble and often will withdraw from conflict situations rather than fairly represent themselves. The boys' withdrawal from representing themselves, however, was interpreted by the police as a sign they may have something to hide!
The following questions are designed to define the COLD Negotiation Style.
How did the boys look COLD?
- Poor eye contact
- Heads downcast
- Timid, whispering voices
- Fidgeting
- Worried facial expression
How did the boys think COLD?
- “The police are here. What did we do wrong?"
- "I don't want trouble: my parents will kill me if I go to jail.“
- "I'm afraid of making a mistake. It's better to remain silent and hopefully not look suspicious than open my mouth and say something wrong."
- "Maybe the police will leave us alone if we just look scared and confused."
How did the boys act COLD?
In this case the boys:
- Did not give complete answers.
- Did not volunteer information.
- Withdrew into themselves for fear of doing or saying anything wrong
What was the policeperson's Negotiation Style?
She wanted to gather information from the boys to determine what to do. She was respectful at all times, tried to keep things impersonal, and acted like she would be someone who would listen to the needs of the other side. However, because of the lack of cooperation she received from the boys, she became frustrated and ended the negotiations. The boys never gave her a chance to cooperate with them.
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