Confessions of a Fugitive Mind
January 23, 2008
Negotiable
I attended a training session about negotiating last Friday in hopes of learning new skills to use in the increasing number of contract negotiations I'm responsible for. I know that I'm not entirely comfortable in negotiations of any kind. At the outset of the class the instructor reminded us that negotiations are everywhere and asked a rhetorical question about never paying full price at a yard sale. I wanted to scream, "I do!" Because, well, I do. I'm the type of person who will walk away from a once-in-a-lifetime find rather than bargain with someone. I just don't like making deals or haggling. Hence the negotiating course.
Except I don't think I learned a lot that will help me at work. Maybe in buying a new car (don't bargin, just research and make an offer "at cost" and pray they take it), but not really in the kinds of contract negotiations I'm doing with publishers. Especially not when I have to negotiate without the authority to concede on any terms. That might be more of a reflection of my job than the training though. Either way, I'm still feeling ill-equipped to handle negotiations and I'm not sure how to go about teaching myself.
Posted by criminal at January 23, 2008 3:15 PM