Negotiating Under A Deadline

Francesca Gino Contributor

By Francesca Gino Harvard Professor

Q. Due to the nature of my business, I often find myself negotiating under tight deadlines that cannot be extended. Negotiating under a deadline makes me nervous, because I feel I am already in a position of disadvantage compared to my counterpart, even before we sit down at the bargaining table! In some of the negotiations I was part of in the past, I felt my counterpart understood I was anxious and, as a result, was particularly demanding, stubborn and tough. The result?