The two negotiator types are:
- Warriors
- Shopkeepers
It seems as though that the fundamental difference here is that one is looking for concession and agreement.
This is true negotiation.
The other is using negotiation as a pretense for winning the war.
In war, make no mistake.
Even the negotiation table can be a weapon.
The great British diplomat and writer Harold Nicholson believed there were two kinds of negotiators: warriors and shopkeepers. Warriors use negotiations as a way to gain time and a stronger position. Shopkeepers operate on the principle that it is more important to establish trust, to moderate each side’s demands and come to a mutually satisfying settlement. Whether in diplomacy or in business, the problem arises when shopkeepers assume they are dealing with another shopkeeper only to find they are facing a warrior.
-Robert Greene, The 33 Strategies Of War
