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Research by social scientists has confirmed something effective negotiators have known for ages: namely, we trust people more when we view them as being similar or familiar.

…when you recognize that your counterpart is not irrational, but simply ill-informed, constrained, or obeying interests that you do not yet know, your field of movement greatly expands.

During a typical business meeting, the first few minutes… and the last few moments, as everyone is leaving, often tell you more about the other side than anything in between.

You’re going to have to embrace regular, thoughtful conflict as the basis of effective negotiation – and of life.

Skilled negotiators have a talent for using conflict to keep the negotiation going without stumbling into a personal battle.

Every negotiation, every conversation, every moment of life, is a series of small conflicts that, managed well, can rise to creative beauty. Embrace them.

Research shows that one of the main reasons that women tend to negotiate less assertively than men is that they worry about violating social expectations that they’ll be warm and kind.

…in short-term, single-issue negotiations givers do worse than takers, because they’re willing to give larger slices of the pie to their counterparts.

The truly gifted negotiator… is one whose initial position is exaggerated enough to allow for a series of small reciprocal concessions and counteroffers that will yield a desirable final offer from the opponent.

…an agreement that has been forged through the concessions of one’s opponents is quite satisfying.