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price; it is not negotiation unless a sharing of information occurs to resolve
an impasse.

In reality, people can effectively negotiate virtually any disagreement,

conflict, purchase, or contract. Exceptions include conflicts resulting from
deeply cherished beliefs or values, or when the other party refuses to
cooperate. Once someone has taken a strong position based on deep-
seated ideas or values, the best one can hope for is a cordial relationship
rather than full resolution of the conflict.

Some people think negotiation is a dirty word. They think the process of
negotiating a contract or a salary, or openly discussing a dispute, is
inappropriate, frightening, demeaning, or embarrassing. What each of
these reactions boils down to is a sense of awkwardness or discomfort with

the communication and assertiveness skills involved in successful
negotiation.

This feeling of awkwardness is most frequently caused by a lack of
conscious experience with the negotiation process or by a lack of
preparation before the process begins. Even though virtually all of us

frequently engage in negotiation, our lack of awareness of what we are
doing means that we are usually not effective negotiators. This is easy to
correct by following basic negotiating principles or skills that you can
practice at work or at home every day.

Negotiation is conducted at two different levels. Casual or informal
negotiation is the daily activity of resolving differences that constantly
arise at work, at home, and in social settings. Structured or formal
negotiation is a more planned process that attempts to resolve conflicts
between individuals or organizations at a more significant level. Labor-
management issues, intergovernmental conflicts, important contracts,

environmental and planning issues, and problems between local
government and businesses are examples of typical situations that may
require structured negotiation.

Structured negotiation should not be attempted until one has learned its
basic principles and skills, and then has practiced it in more informal

settings. In this type of negotiation, a great deal of time is spent, or should

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