The Five Golden Rules of Negotiation

How to Use the Bluff Properly During Negotiations

The Oxford English Dictionary defines bluffing as “threatening or confident language or behavior adopted without basis, in order to intimidate or mislead an opponent.” In turn, lying is defined as making “an intentionally false statement” and being “deceptive.” The difference can be summed up as follows: A liar always makes claims, whereas, under certain circumstances, a bluffer merely makes suggestions. Above all, though, a liar wishes to deceive, whereas a bluffer wants to impress or intimidate.

In business negotiations, not only are you entitled to bluff to some extent, but it is your moral duty. Not a duty to the other party, of course, but to the company you represent. Indeed, since the stakes ...