Reading through the final chapter of getting to yes once again take my imagination back to the car lot. I guess that's just where I have done most of my negotiating...or perhaps that is where I have done my most dysfunctional negotiating.
The concept of BATNA is particularly helful in a situation like this. often times we approach the negotiation in need. If we are in serious need, our BATNA may be painfully obvious. The other party can detect that need and exploit it for maximum gain. However, in most cases, if we don't settle on an agreement our BATNA is merely to remain in the same state we are in, driving the same car, keeping the job we have already and perhaps continuing to live without that item we just couldn't live without.
I like the idea of chapter seven. Just like much of the other stuff we have read, chapter seven maintains and elaborates on a theme of critically thinking during a negotiation. It is of great benefit to control your emotion and think stratgeically about how your oponent might respond. It is almost a game of mental chess. It is interesting to contrast this to "Resolving Conflicts." The other book say to experience your emotions fully. I suppose experiencing them and maintaing control are two different things. You certainly wouldn't want to lose your temper while negotiating...Then the other side might use negotiational jujitsu on you.
I think the next section is particularly what reminds me of the car lot. In chapter eight, the book spoke of stall tactics, good guy bad guy, going to ask someone else. I can remember negotiating on a new Honda several years ago. The salesman left and was gone for ten or fifteen minutes...no doubt he was using the stall tactic. I wish I had some of these negotiating skills back then! I would have settled for my BATNA and walked out!
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