In “The Case for Going ‘Beyond Dealmaking,’ ” an anonymous blogger gets to the heart of the difference between negotiating “deals” and negotiating on-going business relationships:
A transaction is a quick, short-lived exchange. It’s about this deal, these terms. Get a signature, and you’re done.
Negotiating relationships is a process with no clear beginning or end. Your goal is to build sufficient understanding, comfort and trust between parties that you can work together now and in the future, under conditions that enable both sides to prosper.