The pulse:
Power can ebb and flow. Note the pace and tone of the other side's responses.
Are they fast because they're effective or because they're desperate? Are they
acting disinterested to manipulate you, or do they really not care? Some
strategists recommend change-of-pace tactics. Whether it's an accelerando or a
decelerando, you best play it well, lest your audience boo you off the stage.
Deadlines:
Negotiations tend to accelerate at the eleventh hour. Having a deadline is like
having an efficiency expert right at the bargaining table. Discover that your
opponent has real time constraints, and you take the high ground. Torque up that
leverage by dragging your feet-artfully, of course.
The phony deadline is a
classic negotiating gambit used to hurry one side into a quick close. If you
suspect it, test it: Get an explanation. Ask for an extension anyway. Do they
fold? If you can, get expert or inside info. Or if you're up to it, just call
their bluff!
Stop signs:
Every negotiation must come to an end. No deal is perfect. Reconsider the big
picture. If it's not worth any more of your time, try to shake on it or move on.
As they say, sometimes your best deals are the ones you don't make.