Speak Up Hate to negotiate? That's still no excuse to avoid learning this skill.

An entrepreneur who doesn't like to negotiate is like a chefwho doesn't like to handle knives. Bargaining ability is a keybusiness skill. If you resist learning and using it, you have aserious deficit-not just at the bargaining table, but also inlife.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons not to likenegotiating. It can be alternately petty, time-consuming,confrontational, impossibly difficult and aggravating (to name afew). What matters most, however, is why you don't liketo negotiate.

Some people feel it's degrading, like they're beggingthe other side for scraps. As the psychotherapists say, let'sreframe this: Sure, there are times when you have no power.That's when pleading, begging and whining become strategicoptions.