What is/are the most important quality/qualities a good negotiator should have?
There are three important qualities for a good negotiator: The first is preparation and preparation not just on the substantive issues being negotiated, but also on what I call the "shadow negotiation" which means getting yourself into a good position to negotiate by being clear about your alternatives should negotiation not produce the results you want. The second quality is appreciating the position and interests of the other side you will do well in a negotiation to the degree that you help others do so as well. I always suggest that people think about the five good reasons the other party has to say no to you and be prepared to address those issues. The final quality is keeping an open mind and thinking creatively always think yes, and, not yes, but when people make proposals that do not seem to suit your needs. Think about ways that you can build on them.

Given the global nature of many business negotiations these days, is it more difficult than ever to prepare for a tough negotiation? Any advice in these situations?
Once you are dealing in a global economy, there are potential cultural issues thatmight come up and that can complicate negotiations. While there aremany resources that purport to offer advice on dealing in different cultures, one needs to be careful about importing stereotypes that can make a situation worse.The best advice is to have a good cultural informant perhaps as a partner in complex negotiations.

How good are women as negotiators? Can you share with us your research insights on women as successful negotiators?
We tend to think about negotiating primarily in terms of salary and compensation and we know that women, for a host of reasons, do not do aswell in these negotiations.When negotiations are framed solely in terms of self advancement, women can experience backlash when they ask. Butwhatwe have found is that to the degree that awoman ties what she needs to succeed to what is good for her organization or group, that backlash dissipates and indeed women are very good negotiators. Indeedwomenwho do linkwhat they need to succeed with what is good for their organization receive higher performance reviews, are more likely to be offered leadership development opportunities, are more satisfied with their work and are less likely to leave their organizations.

What's your assessment of "glass ceiling" that seem to exist so prevalently? What it takes to break that glass ceiling? Are there best corporate examples that have tried to break the glass ceiling?
The definition of the glass ceiling has shifted over the past 20 years. It used to be that it was at the middle management level that women were underrepresented, but now it is at the top. Some believe it is merely a pipeline issue, but our research suggests something else. We call it "Second generation gender issues" which are accepted cultural norms and work practices that look like they are natural and neutral but can have differential impacts on different groups of men and women. For example, if a parent wants to negotiate a flexible work arrangements, s/he does so against an assumption that an ideal worker is the one who is totally committed to the organization. Or if a woman performs what we call "invisible work", being available to other women to help and support them, or being asked to sit on diversity task forces these activities are not likely to be rewarded in the same way that taking on a strategic client might. Therefore the person doing this work needs to negotiate value for that work or else, it does not count. Breaking the glass ceiling means having both individuals and organizations recognize these second generation issues and working to change them. Many of the organizations that come to our School the Simmons School of Managementto help them develop theirwomen leaders have been doing a good job at working through these issues. Deloitte and Touche, for example, has made many changes in developing leaders, redesigning their client assignment processes and making flexible work arrangements more accessible. All of these have contributed to their leadership in helping crack the glass ceiling.