If you watch Texas Hold ‘Em games on TV, you can learn a great deal about the art of business negotiation. Most players use a definite and consistent style to gain the competitive advantage.

Ian the Inscrutable. A veritable sphinx, this player could have four aces or six-high. His words and movements give away nothing; his expression never changes. He may sport giant-size sunglasses and a ten-gallon hat at the table–anything to keep the opponents guessing.

Thomas the Technician. You can almost see the wheels turn as he calculates odds. Cold and steady, he tries to intimidate by establishing technical superiority.

Odin the Intimidator. This player, prone to big bluffs and big bets, might stares you down, mock you, or both. Odin is unwelcome, unloved and often undefeated.

Perry the Pal. Quite the opposite of Odin, Perry is everybody’s buddy. He’s sympathetic, witty and chatty. But don’t let him lull you to sleep. Perry plays to win.

Dustin the Distractor. He smokes or twirls a straw. He makes pointless comments and chatters incessantly. He forgets to ante. He takes forever to decide on his bet. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and when the opponent loses focus–he strikes like a rattlesnake.

Curtis the Crazed. You never know what Curtis is going to do. One minute he’s brooding, the next minute he’s buying drinks for the table. His betting is erratic and all his verbal and non-verbal signals are contradictory. He might come to the table wearing an old flannel shirt or plastic fangs and a cape. Curtis seems confused, but his underlying goal is to confuse you.

To one degree or another, business people approach negotiations in a similar way. What works best? Probably the most genuine approach, the one that is simply an extension or slight magnification of your personality.

Of course, many people would prefer business negotiations to be free of manipulative tactics, to always be “win-win” situations. Is that ideal really possible? It’s a tough one, because I think there’s a bit of poker player in all of us.

Word Sell … Scrambled Toast