Chapter 4

Find Your Negotiating Style

You’re starting to learn some of the ground rules of negotiating: Why negotiate, what to negotiate for, how to give and take, and how to prepare. But you’re still at the starting point. Why? Because not only do negotiations usually involve complex tasks and complex finances, but they also involve people. Negotiators come from all walks of life—all personalities, all experiences, and all styles. They can be professional negotiators or negotiating professionals (remember the difference?) Of they are people just like you—or many times they’re not like you at all.

Part of the preparation process involves understanding and recognizing the different styles, personality styles, and personas of the negotiating world. Not only will you encounter these styles, but you’ll most likely adopt one or more of them yourself, depending on the situation, your objectives, and of course, your own personality. And in today’s split-second world, you may have to recognize these styles very quickly and through relatively impersonal means—will you be able to recognize an “intimidator” through his or her IM or text messaging style?