My husband is a great negotiator. He negotiates just about everything: getting a car, getting the house, any house improvements we make, allowing me to let the dogs on the couch to snuggle with him (I do not like the dogs on the couch with their muddy paws), and thermostat negotiations.
Once, we walked out of a store after getting a tie down strap, and the strap literally fell apart in his hands while trying to tie something in the back of his truck. He went back inside, the owner said it had a tail light warranty, and my husband replied, “You can still see my tail lights they haven’t left the property.” Owner liked the answer, and my husband was able to exchange the tie down for something else.
Negotiation can be important. I read a book recently, Getting More by Stuart Diamond, that was really helpful in learning tips and tricks about negotiations. I highlighted the heck out of that book and try to put its tips into practice when I can. My negotiation skills are slowly getting better. One day I hope to be a savvy negotiator—not to screw people over, but to not get screwed myself, and be able to offer a fair deal for all involved.
How about you? Are you constantly working on your negotiation skills? Or are you already a master like my husband?