I was really disappointed by this recent blog over on the Harvard Business Review that said you should play stupid to win smart in negotiations. While it’s true, and great advice if you’re making a one-time purchase of an expensive, over-priced, and always marked-up item, it’s not the best way to build a good long-term relationship with a (potentially) important supplier. How do you think the relationship is going to go if the supplier figures out six months in that you played him for a fool?
Ask yourself before your next negotiation.