Richardson's Rules
of Negotiation

by Jeff Antos

     

 

       

 

After winning the recent governor's race in New Mexico, Bill Richardson again made national news, meeting with the North Koreans to discuss their nuclear program. They were not interested in meeting with other U.S. officials; they insisted on meeting with Richardson and traveled to New Mexico to discuss their issues.

Richardson has had an impressive career as a statesman. He has served as ambassador to the United Nations and has negotiated the release of prisoners from Cuba, Iraq, North Korea, and Sudan. In addition, he has been nominated for the Nobel Prize four times.

In a recent New York Times article (January 3, 2003), Richardson explained that before negotiating, he learns as much as possible about his counterpart. In addition, he provides the following advice.

RICHARDSON’S RULES:
1. Make friends
2. Define your goal
3. Shrug off insults
4. Close the deal
5. Always show respect

While tomes have been written on the subject, Richardson offers practical, concise advice on effective negotiation.

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