Do you find it unusual in sporting events like the Super Bowl or the World Series for a team manager to call for a time out? Of course not, those are part of the rules of the games, the outcomes of which are worth millions of dollars.
It's no different for your negotiation sessions, regardless of the monetary amount of the contract. Time out is a time-tested strategy that you should employ when necessary.
The sports analogy is a good one here because Buyers should be asking for a time out for the same reason the team managers call one - to assess recent developments and privately decide the best course of action to take next.
It is always important for the vendor selection team to present one clear and consistent message to the vendors. If a member of the team comes up with an idea or a new angle in the negotiations, it would not be appropriate to throw it out there to "test the waters" before running it by the rest of the team.
Another use of the time out is when the vendor has put forth an intriguing idea that requires discussion among team members before an official reaction is displayed.
Like the sports teams, learn to use your time out requests wisely and you'll be playing your negotiations A game.
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