Dealing with Dysfunction: Negotiating with Difficult Individuals

Recent research suggests that many times one or both parties in an interaction will struggle with irrationality or dysfunction. Understanding the types of dysfunctional personalities that negotiators might encounter, and how to deal with them, becomes an important measure of preparation for any professional negotiator. For this reason, this article reviews how better to identify, understand, and negotiate with counterparts who exhibit challenging, difficult, and dysfunctional behaviors.