Getting Past No: Negotiating in Difficult Situations

Where interests are directly opposed, a negotiator may be able to obtain a favorable result simply by being stubborn. That method tends to reward intransigence and produce arbitrary results. However, you can counter such a negotiator by insisting that his single say-so is not enough and that the agreement must reflect some fair standard independent

you are negotiating with them even if you are not talking with them. The question is whether to do so at a distance by actions and words (such as “We will never negotiate with terrorists!”) or whether to do so more directly. In general, the better the communication, the better your chance to exert influence.