Originally from:

AAA Handbook on Mediation - Third Edition

NEGOTIATION STYLES: THE IMPACT ON BARGAINING TRANSACTIONS

Charles B. Craver

I. Introduction
Attorneys and business-people negotiate constantly. They negotiate within their own organizations with superiors, subordinates and colleagues. They negotiate with prospective and current clients and customers, and on behalf of their clients and customers with other public and private entities. Most negotiators employ relatively “cooperative” or “competitive” styles. 
Cooperative bargainers tend to behave more pleasantly, and they strive to generate mutually beneficial agreements. Competitive bargainers are often less pleasant, and they work to obtain optimal results for their own sides. Individuals look forward to interactions with cooperative opponents but often dread encounters with competitive adversaries.
Negotiator styles significantly affect bargaining interactions. This chapter looks at different negotiator styles and the impact of these styles on bargaining encounters.