Let's Make A Deal

                  The art of negotiation is filled with give and take, but how do you give a little and still come out on top?
                  If you're trying to decide what to have for dinner with the rest of your family, you're negotiating.
                  When you want to play one golf course and your buddies are holding out for another, you're negotiating.
                  Dickering over the price of a car or a home's closing costs are rather obvious examples of negotiation.  But we all negotiate far more often than we may recognize.  As Herb Cohen, author of the best-seller You Can Negotiate Anything, notes: "Most people don't realize that any situation is negotiable."
                  Learning a few negotiation basics can make your life more enjoyable and less stressful.  So, it's quiz time.   Here are five scenarios that most of us routinely encounter.  We'll offer several negotiation strategies, then identify the best one, along with expert commentary on why it's the optimal choice.
                  Make it into a game by reading the scenario and options aloud to friends and family and then debating -------er, negotiating ------ an answer.  Don't be afraid to dicker.  Keep the conversation positive and focused, and great things can happen.

1. Ben has been working at a company for two years and wants to approach his boss about a raise.
    Should he:
a) Tell his boss how much he loves his job but he needs more money to make ends meet.
b) Find out how much other companies pay for his job and present that data to his boss.
c) Prepare a presentation that outlines his value to the company.
2. MaryAnn is weary of the daily arguments with her two teenagers.  She finds herself constantly haranguing her kids to put their dinner dishes in the dishwasher and clean their bedrooms.  But her dictatorial approach is stressing her out and making her children all the more defiant.  Her husband is of little help; he says he doesn't want to get in the middle of any squabbles involving her and the kids.   Should she:
a) Dangle cash incentives.  Set up a structure in which the kids are paid for doing designated chores.
b) Tell them she wants them to enjoy the things they value, such as cellphones, computers and iPods.  But she expects them to pull their weight to keep those privileges.
c) Tell the kids about self-reliance and how they need to develop it before going away to college and living on their own.
3. Harry and Bess are trying to decide what to do for the weekend.  They've discussed everything from seeing a movie to trying a new restaurant but can't seem to agree.  What should they do?
a) Harry should switch to a "why" question.  Why does that movie interest you?  Why does that restaurant appeal to you?
b) Based on what she has heard Harry say, Bess should suggest other movies or restaurants she would like but would also be in line with Harry's interests.
c) Harry should broaden the discussion by suggesting other kinds of activities that would also be enjoyable but don't involve a movie or eating out.
4. Priscilla is staying at a hotel.  With a meeting scheduled for late afteernoon, she knows she's going to have to check out several hours after checkout time.  She wants to do everything she can to avoid paying a fee for the late departure, even though the hotel seems militant that the policy is strictly enforced.  Should she:
a) Call the front desk in advance, explain that she can't avoid the late meeting and politely ask for the fee to be waived.  If the front desk balks, she should ask to talk face to face with a manager.
b) Threaten to dispute the charge when it appears on her credit card.
c) Don't even bring the issue up and hope no one notices.
5. The Carlisle family is trying to decide where to go on their summer vacation.  The parents ------- Herb and Patty ----- want a relaxing two weeks in Paris, while teenagers Michael and Amy yearn for the excitement and adventure of the Grand Canyon.  Should they:
a) Let the purse strings decide.  Whatever's more affordable is the destination of choice.
b) Bring in a third party ----- maybe a relative or a friend who has spent time in Paris or the Grand Canyon.  Their perspective may swing family members' opinions.
c) Look for a destination that has features of both places of choice (there's some place in the world with a huge hole and someone munching on a croissant).



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Answers : 1. c  ; 2. b  ; 3. All  ; 4. a  ; 5. b

                  How'd You Score?
Five right answers: You can negotiate the price of a hot dog at an airport, just like Herb Cohen did (much to his wife's consternation).
One right answer:   Better sign up for "Dickering 101" at your nearby college.