Yes!

How to be more persuasive in the workplace and beyond.

Noah Goldstein is a faculty member at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, co-author of the New York Times best-seller Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive, and senior consultant and writer with INFLUENCE AT WORK. See full bio

November 30, 2008, Behavioral Economics

Comments on "Who Should Throw the First Persuasive Punch?"

Who Should Throw the First Persuasive Punch?

By Noah Goldstein on November 30, 2008 in Yes!

Sometimes the first few minutes at the negotiating table are like the first few minutes in the boxing ring: Both opponents often dance around, reluctant to put themselves out there first. Just as some boxers are reluctant to throw the first punch, negotiators are often reluctant to put the first offer on the table. They may be worried that they will telegraph their strategy, or perhaps that they will reveal some sort of vulnerability. Are they right? Is it better to make the first persuasive move or let your opponent do so? Read More

How to calibrate initial offer?

Submitted by Jay Dixit on January 6, 2009 - 1:57pm.

You say: Keep in mind, though, that if one's initial offer is ridiculously unrealistic, getting it out there on the table first won't be of much help to you, as your opponents are unlikely to take you as a serious negotiating partner. Does this mean lowballing (or highballing) doesn't work? How should you determine what your initial offer should be relative to what you're actually willing to pay or accept?