Learning to Negotiate: Key Takeaways from Fisher’s Preview Day

This blog is a reflection on my experience attending a Negotiations lecture during Fisher College of Business’s Preview Day. As a graduate assistant, I volunteered at the event to interact with prospective students and support them as they explored their graduate school options. I was especially excited to meet and engage with students interested in Fisher’s Master of Human Resource Management program.

What I did not expect was that, along with the visiting students, I would get to sit in on a sample lecture on Negotiations. As someone planning to take this course as an elective next term, it felt like a preview for me as well.  For prospective students, it offered a real glimpse into what learning at Fisher feels like, interactive, and grounded in real-world application.

Here are a few of my key takeaways from the Negotiation session that I believe can benefit students of any program or career path:

• You get what you ask for: A negotiation is not just about understanding the other side’s value, but it’s also about recognizing your own. Being aware of what you bring to the table and being ready to defend that value creates a level playing field for a meaningful discussion.
• Communicating your value is essential: Effective negotiation depends on active listening and expressing your perspective, so it connects with others. Clarity and confidence are crucial to reaching an agreement.
• Trust is the foundation of every negotiation: Without mutual trust, even the most reasonable discussions can fall apart. Trust allows both sides to be honest and willing to find common ground.
• Preparation is everything: A successful negotiation begins long before you enter the room. Understanding what the other party wants and how that aligns or conflicts with your own goals, helps set realistic expectations. Additionally, always having a BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) ensures that you’re never negotiating from a place of desperation. Put simply, it’s your backup plan if the negotiation goes sideways.

Lastly, I am grateful that I got an opportunity to attend this lecture and hope it was equally valuable for the prospective students who joined us on the Preview Day. Moving forward, I’m excited to explore the topic further in my next semester.