On the negotiating table

Today, I and my team were negotiating with an American firm as we’re interested in an equipment of their’s. Negotiations can be long winded- like it was in this case- or absolutely short and sweet. The essence of a successful negotiation, in my view, is that the concerned parties should end up with a win-win feeling. After having been a party to countless negotiations over the last 10 years, it’s my firm conclusion that there’s always an element of theatrics associated with the whole affair – there’s anger, sarcasm, intimidation, dejection, joy, frustration, waffling, back slapping and the works- on the whole, there’s never a dull moment during the entire process!
The vendor’s team consisted of two yanks, one, the CEO himself and the other his technical consultant and two young, smart Indian lads, in their mid thirties, who articulated their points extremely well. From the body language of the yanks, it was pretty clear that they were convinced with our point of view but the Indian lads just wouldn’t budge. It was ironic to see them picking up cudgels against their own countrymen but it was fair and I don’t blame them for standing their ground as they’re just showing their loyalty to the organization that was paying them and doing a good job at that!!
On a personal level, I cannot do this to my country and it was for this singular reason that I’d rejected some tempting offers in the past. Money and good life are not the end all of life. Altogether, an interesting experience and an afternoon well spent.