Final Thoughts

As I look back on this negotiations course, I realize that I have come a long way in the way I view negotiations and the way I view myself.
As far as my understanding of negotiating goes, the class and the readings have taught me some very important things. I think the first thing that I learned is that it is important to do your research in the negotiation. This not only includes the situation from my point of view, but also how the other person might view the situation. In every negotiation that we had, I felt like the most leverage from the other side came from their control over their information. The more I could do to get information, the more confident I could be. I also learned that in the negotiations I need to seek out as much information as possible. This helps to confirm what I had predicted and look for ways to go next.
I think the thing that I will take most from this class is the understanding of my own negotiating personality and tendencies and how these will impact future encounters. I tend to be a pretty cooperative problem-solving type of person. I realize that this can be useful, but sometimes it is better to focus more on my own interests and create resistance because this tension can sometimes lead to more creative solutions. In my negotiations and in the readings, I also realize the importance of understanding the personality of the other side. I tend to be very trusting of the other party, and I realize that it is important for me to take things with a grain of salt and make sure that the other side is not taking advantage of me.
Overall, this class has been very interesting, informative, and fun. I feel like I have begun to develop some useful skills that will serve me well in the future. However, I think that these skills will need to be further developed and practiced for me to be a great negotiator.