The art of negotiation

It's a scene that crops up in a thousand trashy television cop shows. Crouching behind a tight cordon of panda cars, the weather-beaten SWAT team leader, complete with cap, bulletproof vest and loud-hailer, looks up to the third-floor window, clears his throat, and announces: 'You might as well give yourself up, Kowalski, we've got the place surrounded.' His craggy face is bathed in the soft amber glow of the street light and a small …

…should be allocated a specific role - one should do most: of the talking, another take notes, a third could simply observe reactions and responses. * Be crystal clear in what you say and how you say it. Don't leave people confused or leave any room for interpretation unless it is a deliberate bargaining ploy. Paraphrase regularly. Don't be afraid to ask the other side to repeat questions or statements or to probe for more detail.