I learned a lot about the art of negotiating, as this is a skill that I have never considered myself to possess, especially since I don't have much experience with negotiation. Clearly, it's an important skill to have because all of us will need to engage in negotiation at some point in our lives, whether it be in the workplace or in our personal lives. The most relatable example is one that was brought up several times in the reading and in the lecture: buying a car. In fact, the most interesting thing I learned is that the best time to buy a car is toward the end of December when we consider the intangibles behind the car salesman's negotiation (McGovern, n.d.). Like most commission-based salesmen, there are certain monthly, quarterly, and/or annual goals that car salesmen are trying to achieve, which can impact their side of the negotiation; they will be less likely to budge on price when there are incentives tied to sales dollars hanging in the balance. Thus, it makes sense that the end of December would be the ideal time for the customer to buy because the salesman will be less likely to be focused on monthly, quarterly, or annual sales goals. This will be a useful consideration for such negotiations going forward.

1. Supplement on the above.

2. Give citations