Let's negotiate.

• Author: Fernandez, Eldonna Lewis
• Position: Business & Finance

"Understanding these nine archetypes and discerning where you tend to fall, how other people are categorized in relation to you, and how to capitalize on a different type of personality approach (and deal with those of others) is a tremendous asset in your negotiation arsenal."

HERE ARE three questions you never may have asked yourself prior to entering into a negotiation, but should: What kind of negotiator am I? What kind of negotiator would I like to be? Most importantly, what kind of negotiator do I "need" to be in this situation to emerge victorious?

One key to being a master negotiator is intuitively employing different approaches and taking an alternate direction based on each given situation but, in order to do this effectively, one first must understand the varying, and quite distinctive, negotiator personality archetypes-one or the other of which most people typically utilize while they "wheel and deal." Without this strategic aptitude and application of the right persona for the deal at hand, at best it will be more difficult than it needs to be and, at worst, all could be lost.

An archetype is defined as a pattern of behavior or thought or, according to Oxford Dictionary, "a very typical example of a person or thing." So, one's "negotiation archetype" is someone's "way of being" throughout the process--those particular characteristics and behaviors that one would use to describe the person and their deal-making methodology. This can be regarded as a "role" being played, whether contrived or realistic, but the emphasis being on how the person is operating within that role.

Learning how to apply effortlessly and seamlessly certain archetypes to specific situations is a powerful skill. This kind of adaptability and fluidity among different deals--and even as one given deal ebbs, flows, unfolds, and changes course--can gain you substantial leverage and advantages, including the ultimate win; even better when it is a win-win for all parties involved.

What are the typical negotiation personalities? While the following archetypes are not all-inclusive, they do represent the primary means by which the majority of people negotiate. Achieving the correct balance and striking just the right cord with these archetypes based on each negotiation situation at hand is sure to pay dividends.

The Politician. This is someone who influences or outmaneuvers others. This individual often seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices through carefully crafted language. A negotiation politician typically campaigns to influence or persuade others...