Many people have read the book called "Getting To Yes." It's a good enough book, but it makes way too much out of the process of negotiation - as with many negotiations themselves, the book tends to over-think the whole process.
In my life-long experience of trying to get to yes, there are really only two kinds of negotiations (1) The person you are negotiating with is trying to WIN or (2) The person you are negotiating with has a shared goal with you - they want to arrive at AGREEMENT.
If you find yourself up against someone who simply wants to "win" then you are in store for a pretty miserable time. In fact, this is when you should start thinking about if you want to do business with this person at all. If your initial negotiations start like this, what is it going to be like to work with them on a daily basis? Of course, you must be careful not to get sucked into their game or letting your ego drive decisions or to start taking things personally. This is easier said than done of course - but most business really is personal, no matter what.
Being on the other side of the table from a person that wants to win at all costs is frustrating and exhausting. When this occurs you must set deadlines and try to identify their real motivation. Are they trying to impress their boss? Do they get a bonus or any kind of special compensation if they "win?" Are they inexperienced at what they are negotiating and therefore just using it all as a defense mechanism.
My advice: Negotiators that are in it to win it are poison. Walk away. It may blow the deal - but that deal would of likely caused much heartache later. Sometimes it's hard to do the right thing, especially when getting to yes involves financial gain. But, the stress and sour taste of forging a bad deal is even more costly.
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