Negotiating for a Week

I heard good things from Jim-the-janitor about professor Rob Thomas' The Art and Science of Negotiation elective. He said the elective was much better than the others, and I figured, this guy is bringing water and soda and sugary goodies into these classrooms every hour - he knows what he's talking about.

Jim was right - the class was awesome. While most of my cohort was planning to travel to far off lands filled with Malbec (Argentina) or debt (Dubai) for their elective requirement, I was sitting in the beautiful Gainesville, having home-made dinners from one of the best chefs I know, going on roller-coaster rides in a BMW X5 M Series that growls when you walk by it, and learning how to negotiate a good price for avocados at Publix. I spent the week with two of the class' finest - Jason and Daniel.

Jason brought a giant tent that he pitched just outside of Daniel's house, and I, being the woodsie New Hampshire guy that loves to camp and poop in the woods and take advantage of free showers at Hough Hall, promised I'd join him for the week.

The week was pretty intense - the whole time, I was reading, preparing for role play negotiations and studying for quizzes. Thomas does a fantastic job, though. His nonchalant, engaging way about him makes you interested in what he has to say, and his dirty little awkward jokes always keep you on your toes, wondering when the next one would spill from his mouth. I'm not one for dirty jokes, but I am one for quirks that make lectures - or anything for that matter - more interesting.

I learned that negotiating is about finding a win-win for each party. This was of course disappointing in that the first thought that usually comes to mind when hearing the word "negotiation" is "Screw the opposing party." I pictured role plays where I was Jack Donaghy and Daniel was Tracy Jordan, and I told him if he didn't accept my pay decrease, he'd be fired.

On the contrary, the negotiation role plays were almost always about finding a middle ground. The lectures were also drenched in coming up with the best solution for two parties who want something different. In fact, I thought the class applied to a whole lot more than basic business negotiations. I now know how to get my daughter to eat her peas, I know how to coerce my wife to have a sip or two of wine when she's pregnant (and she is), and I now have confidence to step into a Publix and get avocados for dirt cheap (although my social guard still won't let me do it).

I lasted one night with Jason in his tent - I just couldn't resist Daniel's abode. I had practically half the house to myself, which included a sink to brush my teeth, a water thingie coming out of the fridge to get my routine glass of water in the middle of the night, and tons of pillows. I love pillows.