I am currently in the process of opening a business franchise with a friend of mine. I'll discuss more once we're up and running, but right now I'm more interested in the topic of negotiation. My partner and I had to do some negotiation with our franchisors so that we could protect some of our rights moving forward. First, I want to know your opinions on the subject. How do you prepare for negotiations? Do you try to propose terms first, or wait for the other party to make suggestions? What are the most effective negotiation techniques in your experience?
More generally, what parts of your life do you think of as negotiation? Board room discussions at your job? Deciding what movie to see or where to eat on Friday night? Planning the next vacation with your significant other? Hit the jump for video of Stan Christiansen, one of my favorite academics to tackle the subject, talking about communication and negotiation.
