A study of American lawyer-negotiators^1 found that 65
percent of attorneys from two major U.S. cities used a
cooperative style while only 24 percent were truly assertive.
And when these lawyers were graded for effectiveness,
more than 75 percent of the effective group came from the
cooperative type; only 12 percent were Assertive. So if
you’re not Assertive, don’t despair. Blunt assertion is
actually counterproductive most of the time.
And remember, your personal negotiating style is not a
straitjacket. No one is exclusively one style. Most of us have
the capacity to throttle up our nondominant styles should the
situation call for it. But there is one basic truth about a
successful bargaining style: To be good, you have to learn
to be yourself at the bargaining table. To be great you have
to add to your strengths, not replace them.
Here’s a quick guide to classifying the type of negotiator
you’re facing and the tactics that will be most fitting for you.
ANALYST
Analysts are methodical and diligent. They are not in a big
rush. Instead, they believe that as long as they are working
toward the best result in a thorough and systematic way,
time is of little consequence. Their self-image is linked to
minimizing mistakes. Their motto: As much time as it takes
to get it right.
Classic analysts prefer to work on their own and rarely
deviate from their goals. They rarely show emotion, and
they often use what is very close to the FM DJ Voice I