The Intelligent Negotiator Read Online Free PDF

work harder to take advantage of them than they wouldwith respect to males. A classic study was conducted by Professor Ian Ayres of car prices offered to men and women by car dealers under identical circumstances. 6 Ayres found that salespeople offer male buyers better deals than female buyers—a difference of several hundred dollars. It is not clear whether sales personnel simply think that women buyers are less capable negotiators or whether they are afraid of being embarrassed by giving overly generous terms to women. This market bias has convinced a number of my former female students to take male friends with them when they purchase new cars. They know it gives them more leverage in this particular bargaining situation.
    Do gender-based differences affect results achieved by men and women on identical negotiation exercises? In a recent study, I found support for the theory that women feel less comfortable with overt competition—more women (38.8%) take my Legal Negotiating course on a pass/fail basis than men (26.7%). 7 On the other hand, I found no statistically significant differences in the results achieved by men and women on my negotiation exercises.
    If you are a man (or a woman) who stereotypes women as less-proficient bargainers, you provide your female counterparts with a great advantage. Nothing is better than opponents who underestimate your bargaining capabilities. If you are a woman who is taken lightly by male counterparts, do not hesitate to recalibrate your bargaining strategy accordingly. Subtly induce them to give you the information you need to obtain optimal results for yourself.
    S UMMARY P OINTS
Don’t always use a single negotiating strategy.
     
The Competitive-Adversarial negotiating style may be most appropriate for impersonal, one-time negotiations. Competitive-Adversarials open bargaining with low offers and high demands, focus principally on their own stated positions rather than reason out solutions, make minimal concessions, and seek to maximize their own returns.
The Cooperative-Problem-Solver negotiating style is most appropriate for negotiations within ongoing relationships. Cooperative Problem Solvers begin with realistic opening positions, maximize the disclosure of information, rely on objective criteria to guide the discussions, and seek to maximize joint party returns.
The Competitive-Problem-Solver negotiating style, which is characterized by flexibility, is the most effective strategy for dealing with all types. Competitive Problem Solvers begin with strategic opening positions that are principled and designed to set the tone for the discussions, match their counterpart’s style of information disclosure, avoid unreciprocated concessions, rely on objective criteria to guide the discussions, and seek to obtain optimal results for themselves while maximizing the joint returns achieved by both sides.
Assess every bargaining counterpart on his or her own merits; stereotyping counterparts because of gender or ethnicity will hamper the negotiation as well as provide the stereotyped bargainer with a considerable advantage.

C HAPTER 2

P REPARING TO N EGOTIATE
    M ost of us have heard the story of the New York City resident stopped on the street by a visitor who asks, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The New Yorker replies, “Practice, practice, practice!” This adage is as true for negotiators hoping to achieve beneficial bargaining results as for anyone who hopes to perform at Carnegie Hall. Bargaining is a performance, and a highly interactive one at that. The Intelligent Negotiator knows this and prepares thoroughly.
    In the bargaining context, knowledge constitutes power. You will attain better results if you come to the bargaining table with as much information as possible. If you appreciate the real value of the items being exchanged, and have a good idea what other options are available to you if you do not reach an agreement with your counterparts, you will have a