The Quiet Power of Listening
When we think about negotiation, we often picture strong words, confident delivery, and persuasive arguments. But what if your most powerful tool is not your voice, but your ears? The best negotiators tend to speak less and listen more. They ask fewer questions and observe more. By doing this, they gain insight, build trust, and create outcomes that others might overlook.
At SGG, where negotiation occurs in FMCG, retail, aviation, and manufacturing, mastering the art of listening can significantly shift the balance. This isn’t about being silent for the sake of it; it’s about listening with a purpose.
Why Speaking Less, Listening More Works
Here are key reasons why listening gives negotiators an advantage:
It uncovers motives and needs. When you stay quiet and ask open-ended questions, you learn what the other side truly cares about—their interests, not just their surface positions. Research shows that skillful active listening can calm tensions, break impasses, and provide the information needed to create effective deals.
It builds trust and rapport. People feel valued when you listen. They relax, open up, and share more. When a counterpart knows you’re focused on understanding them—not just pushing your agenda—they are more willing to share helpful information.
It gives you control. Listening allows you to subtly steer the conversation. You ask questions, reflect back, and clarify. You’re guiding without dominating, putting you in a position of power without aggression.
It surfaces better solutions. Research shows that active listening leads to more beneficial outcomes in negotiation—deals that benefit both parties. In one study, active listening after multi-issue offers increased joint gains.
It helps you tailor your message. By listening to the other side, you pick up their specific language, concerns, and constraints. That means when you speak, you speak to them, not at them. That difference is important.
What Listening Looks Like in Negotiations at SGG
In the context of SGG, effective listening could change outcomes across divisions. Here’s how it might look:
In the FMCG sector, when negotiating with raw material suppliers, instead of starting with “we need your price down by 10%,” a negotiating manager could ask, “What are your current cost pressures? What constraints do you have in delivery? How do you see our volume grow in the next 12 months?” The supplier speaks, and the manager listens. The insights gained could lead to a win-win, possibly better terms in exchange for higher volume or flexible delivery.
In retail, when negotiating location or vendor terms for Star Localmart, instead of immediately stating your requirements, you listen to the landlord or vendor. You learn about their goals, how they view traffic, and what concerns they have. Then you tailor your proposal based on that information.
In aviation, when coordinating with MRO or maintenance partners for Star Air, listening to their delays, important metrics, and the service levels they struggle with gives you leverage to structure contracts that benefit both parties, rather than letting one side dominate.
Steps for Listening to Win
Here are practical steps you can apply in your negotiation preparation and execution:
Prepare questions instead of just your pitch. Before the negotiation, list open-ended questions. For instance, “Can you walk me through your cost structure?” or “What challenges are you facing this quarter?”
Pause and reflect. After the other side speaks, pause and let the moment sit. This silence often invites new information.
Paraphrase and confirm understanding. After they explain something, say, “If I understood you correctly, your main concern is X because of Y. Is that right?” This shows you’re listening and ensures clarity.
Resist the urge to talk too soon. Jumping in quickly may show impatience or cause you to miss nuances. Waiting allows you to gather more information.
Use what you’ve heard to frame your proposal. When you do speak, reference what they said: “You mentioned your delivery time is the biggest cost—here’s how we could structure volume deliveries to ease that.”
Watch non-verbal cues. Listening isn’t just about hearing words. It’s observing tone, body language, hesitation, and what’s left unsaid. These often reveal hidden issues.
Reflect afterwards. After the negotiation, review what you learned. What didn’t you ask? What could you explore deeper next time?
Barriers to Listening — Beware Them
Several habits can undermine your listening effectiveness:
Planning your response while they’re speaking means you’re not genuinely listening.
Filtering what they say means you’re only hearing parts you expect, ignoring the rest.
Jumping to solutions too quickly means you’re giving answers before fully understanding the question.
Talking more than necessary means you leave less space for the other side to share important information.
Assuming too much means you fill gaps with your narrative instead of letting them speak.
Recognizing these habits is the first step to reducing your talk time and increasing your chances of success.
Listening and SGG Values Equal a Stronger Negotiation Culture
SGG’s values of excellence, integrity, and innovation fit perfectly with this listening-focused approach to negotiation. When you listen with integrity and focus, you build better partnerships. Listening fosters innovation, allowing you to design smarter and more sustainable terms.
By promoting a culture where negotiators speak less and listen more, SGG can strengthen relationships—both internal and external—and create value that goes beyond the immediate deal.
Final Thought
If you approach your next negotiation with the mindset, “Let me listen more than I talk,” you’ll be surprised by the insights you uncover, the trust you build, and the outcomes you achieve.
In negotiation, as in leadership overall, speaking can get you in the door while listening wins you long-term advantages.
At SGG, whether you’re working with suppliers, partners, or internal teams, remember: the quieter you are, the more you hear. And what you hear can change everything.
