Two Dollar Game - Round 2

In the second round of the two dollar game there was no amount given that we were supposed to get. Instead each person had a role. Mine was a person who has a reputation to loose. I had to act fair, with decency and graciousness. When negotiating I had to bear in mind that my partner could make public everything I'd say. While negotiating I came up with the fact that I had a charity organization supporting the victimes of Mexico’s recent earthquake and that they needed the money more than us. Anasthassia however was in need of the money too, as she is living under the poverty line and has a child with allergies. She claimed she needed the money to buy food for her and her child. I repeated that the Mexicans were more in need of the money than we do. However this argument was getting weak when facing a person so deeply in need here (bearing in mind that I had a reputation to loose). I came up with the story, that I knew her parents and that I knew they would help her out any time. In the end we agreed on $1.30 for Mexico, $0.70 for Anasthassia plus dinner for her and her child at my house that evening.

Lessons learnt from round 2

• Enlarging the parameters: trying to make everyone happy by including other parameters. That’s the „if… then…“ technique.
• Instructions about trust and cooperation: if ever you meet someone super competitive you’ll become very competitive yourself. Unless you are a super big company you cannot be only competitive, you should also be cooperative to get somewhere.  
• In every negotiation there are objective criteria and emotions involved: It’s never only about getting or supplying the product. It’s about people. Sometimes you face very competitive people and sometimes too cooperative people.
• Preparation is crucial.