In Chapter 3 I stressed the idea of broad preparation for any negotiation, covering everything from goals, musts, and wants to the details of the product, price, and competitive landscape, all the way to knowing your counterparty and the negotiating venue. This broad view tells you what to prepare; as you approach the negotiation, you’ll want to dive into the detail of these areas as time and access to information permit.
As you try to “see the outcome,” you should recognize that one of the key variables is the negotiating style of the counterparty—particularly the main spokesperson of the counterparty. The interpersonal dynamic between you and the members of your team—and the leader and the members of the counterparty team—can have a lot to do with the final outcome.
This chapter is about “seeing” the negotiation style you’ll have to deal with (and understanding your own, don’t forget), and then getting a handle on how your styles mesh and how to counteract the differences in style. Put simply, oil and water at the negotiating table will not bring the best win-win agreement.
In this chapter I will examine the ins and outs of seven distinct negotiating styles, give some additional insight into negotiating personalities—the building blocks of negotiating styles—and then finish with a summary of how to deal with difficult styles and personalities.