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.