Secrets of Power Negotiating, 15th Anniversary Edition

Chapter 29

Read the Contract Every Time

In this age of computer-generated contracts, it’s a sad fact that you have to read over a contract every time it comes across your desk. In the old days, when contracts were typewritten, both sides would go through it and write in any changes, and then each negotiator would initial the change. You could glance through the contract and quickly review any change that you had made or to which you had agreed. Nowadays, with computer-generated contracts, we’re more likely to go back to the computer, make the change, and print out a new contract.

Here’s the danger. You may have refused to sign a clause in a contract. The other side agrees to change it and says they’ll send you a corrected contract for your signature. ...