As you start to internalize the basics of negotiating (why negotiate, what to negotiate for, how to give and take, and how to prepare) you should also keep in mind other important pieces of the puzzle. One of these is people. No matter what the negotiation is about, at the end of the day, you’re negotiating with 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?). They can be people just like you, but many times they’re not like you at all!
Part of the preparation process involves understanding and recognizing the different negotiating styles, personality styles, and personas you’ll find in 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 your own personality. In today’s fast-negotiation world, you may have to recognize these styles very quickly and do so through relatively impersonal means, i.e. not by face-to-face communication.
Below I will identify seven common negotiating “styles” you’ll often find across the negotiating table, one of which likely describes you as well! If someone is an “intimidator,” can you recognize that through initial contacts? The quicker you can, the better.