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Things to Never Say While Negotiating

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71–79 of 79 posts

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#71

I am guilty of the "Fuck you" one. The offered terms insulted me so much I no longer wanted to do business with the person. Had I taken this article's advice, I would have stayed calm and moved toward some highly unsatisfying "middle ground" purely to "close the deal". We are faced with innumerable opportunities in our lives, and we need to filter out the best ones; for most negotiations, a successful outcome is not…

This is true, but much better to laugh than get angry. If you get crazy-bad terms, just laugh. "Hah, whoa, that's not what I was expecting..." If their offer is absurd, treat it like it's absurd. The key is to not take it personally. Laugh. They'll either get more reasonable, or you can walk away without burning bridges.

Thanks lionhearted.

--Mike Hofman

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#72

I am guilty of the "Fuck you" one. The offered terms insulted me so much I no longer wanted to do business with the person. Had I taken this article's advice, I would have stayed calm and moved toward some highly unsatisfying "middle ground" purely to "close the deal". We are faced with innumerable opportunities in our lives, and we need to filter out the best ones; for most negotiations, a successful outcome is not…

I think saying something along the lines of "we're wasting our time here" and getting up and walking out would be even more effective.

Scott, I tend to agree. I also think it makes sense to actually mean it -- in other words, to have a certain percentage of negotiations that actually don't result in a deal.

--Mike Hofman

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#73
post #36
post #8

Is there any way to gain practice on negotiation? As an entrepreneur, are there any resources on the internet where you can "practice"? The only thing I can think of is playing poker or something at the casino...

Negotiations is a required class at my b-school. The material is soft. The lecture itself only lasts a short amount of the time. For the rest of the class, you just practice. Negotiate with another party (using a case study to determine your role.) The class ended after the results were tallied and the class discussed different approaches to the problem. It wasn't a tough class, but it was useful and enjoyable.

>It wasn't a tough class, but it was useful and enjoyable.

Did you negotiate your grade at the end of the class?

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#74
post #66
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it comes off like you're arguing for the unique originality of Andromeda while dismissing any possible "inspirations" for it as unlikely. It's like arguing that Aslan, the lion from Narnia, is based on Mufasa, the character from Lion King, because they're both lions and both have luxuriously animated manes.

I have no idea where you get that interpretation. I don't know how more clearly I can state that I simply do not know where the name in the series came from. And no one has posted a link to information or given anecdotal evidence that "I saw them say in some interview that it came from...." The disambiguation page you linked to lists a name in the Christian bible and the name of a Canadian city (plus a few other thin…

The comment about the bible was by cema, not mahmud. My impression was that cema interpreted your above comment as saying that people in the US would not respond well to plots based on Christian mythology because it was unfamiliar; when I think you meant that Americans wouldn't respond well to it because they didn't like seeing their sacred stories bastardized by giant stompy robots.

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#75
post #66
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it comes off like you're arguing for the unique originality of Andromeda while dismissing any possible "inspirations" for it as unlikely. It's like arguing that Aslan, the lion from Narnia, is based on Mufasa, the character from Lion King, because they're both lions and both have luxuriously animated manes.

I have no idea where you get that interpretation. I don't know how more clearly I can state that I simply do not know where the name in the series came from. And no one has posted a link to information or given anecdotal evidence that "I saw them say in some interview that it came from...." The disambiguation page you linked to lists a name in the Christian bible and the name of a Canadian city (plus a few other thin…

It is ridiculous to think the writers of Andromeda didn't know about Gog & Magog. Repurposing old myths is sci-fi writing 101.

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#76
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think saying something along the lines of "we're wasting our time here" and getting up and walking out would be even more effective.

Scott, I tend to agree. I also think it makes sense to actually mean it -- in other words, to have a certain percentage of negotiations that actually don't result in a deal. --Mike Hofman

In game theory terms, it might be a viable strategy to burn deals at random in order to reinforce the signal that you can, and do, have the willpower to turn down deals.

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#77
post #75
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea where you get that interpretation. I don't know how more clearly I can state that I simply do not know where the name in the series came from. And no one has posted a link to information or given anecdotal evidence that "I saw them say in some interview that it came from...." The disambiguation page you linked to lists a name in the Christian bible and the name of a Canadian city (plus a few other thin…

It is ridiculous to think the writers of Andromeda didn't know about Gog & Magog. Repurposing old myths is sci-fi writing 101.

It's ridiculous that I have to defend my statement that I simply do not know what influenced the show while others are not being required to backup their assumption the show was influenced by something specific without providing any actual evidence of it, such as a quote from an interview.

It's also ridiculous that this tangent about Andromeda has grown so long while there has been zero response to my actual on-topic inquiry regarding negotiating with difficult people.

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#78
post #74
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no idea where you get that interpretation. I don't know how more clearly I can state that I simply do not know where the name in the series came from. And no one has posted a link to information or given anecdotal evidence that "I saw them say in some interview that it came from...." The disambiguation page you linked to lists a name in the Christian bible and the name of a Canadian city (plus a few other thin…

The comment about the bible was by cema, not mahmud. My impression was that cema interpreted your above comment as saying that people in the US would not respond well to plots based on Christian mythology because it was unfamiliar; when I think you meant that Americans wouldn't respond well to it because they didn't like seeing their sacred stories bastardized by giant stompy robots.

Yes, I realize a different person said it. Yes, I did mean it creates problems when people feel their sacred stories are bastardized -- also that the bastardized stories may use a cool sounding name for a character that has a specific meaning to Christians and this can be confusing to the audience when they don't view it as simply a cool sounding name but, instead, read all kinds of deeper meanings into the character that simply were never intended.

Re: Things to Never Say While Negotiating

#79
post #41
post #8

Is there any way to gain practice on negotiation? As an entrepreneur, are there any resources on the internet where you can "practice"? The only thing I can think of is playing poker or something at the casino...

I was just thinking along this line as well. The best I could come out with is going to recruiters for a job interview. I reckon that these guys are good negotiators and see how I can fare against them. Edit : Oh, just thought of another one. Tele marketers. I would probably welcome them with open arms now

Interesting exercise. Most recruiters will talk your wage / salary down. The difference in commission for the recruiter negotiating UP from an initial offer from a company (like $75,000 vs $80,000 (what you want)) or $95,000 - $105,000 is a very neglibile difference in their percentage of the recruiters fee. This, opposed to NO recruiters fee for losing the placement because the company decides that the extra $5,000 is not worth it (AH FRUSTRATING!) Its lovely when a candidate wants $120,000 plus relocation, and, the company goes "sold." Not typical in my own experience as a tech recruiter.
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