Nairobi, March 6 -- "The most critical thing in a negotiation is to get inside your opponent's head and figure out what he really wants." ~Jacob Lew

Being adept at negotiations is a pretty powerful resource to have. Herbert C Kelman an American social psychologist and negotiation expert defines negotiation as "the process of interaction whereby parties, with some common and some conflicting interests, seek to do better through joint decision-making than they could individually."

Negotiation prowess is critical in our lives. It is a desirable competency to cultivate and invest in because of the benefits that are accrued to it. What are the key ingredients of hardnosed negotiators? Certain consistent traits come up as indicators of succes...