The pregotiation

Most negotiations happen before they reach the table. Their outcome is structured as a result of the implicit leverage each party holds.

In poker, the size of your stack and your confidence are forms of signaling leverage. They arise from the opportunities to exploit incomplete information and therefore are unstable.

The best form of leverage on the other hand comes from having the winning hand.

The same goes for most of life's negotiation. You can learn how to posture, what to say, and a myriad of other techniques... but...

the real negotiation is your ability to grow and articulate your leverage before saying the first word.