Welcome to our special series on the art of negotiation, where some of fiction’s most iconic characters share their unique approaches to this essential skill. Negotiation is more than just making deals; it’s about understanding people, reading situations, and knowing when to push or pull back. In each post, a well-known character will explain their personal tactics and why mastering negotiation is key to survival, success, and influence in any world—whether real or imagined.

Dive in, learn from the best, and discover how to sharpen your own negotiation skills through practice at The Negotiation Club.

Tyrion Lannister (Game of Thrones):

Known for his sharp mind and wit, Tyrion frequently negotiates his way out of dangerous situations, leveraging political alliances and his gift for reading people.

What would Tyrion say about Negotiation Skills?

“I drink and I know things.” That’s what I do, but more importantly, I negotiate.

In Westeros, power isn’t won by the sword alone—it’s earned through strategy, wit, and clever words. Whether I’m standing trial for my life, or bargaining with slavers in Meereen, I rely on negotiation as my sharpest weapon.

Negotiation, you see, is about understanding people. Everyone wants something, whether it’s gold, glory, or vengeance. My tactic is simple: figure out what the other person desires, and then make them think they’re getting it, while I take what I really want. “A Lannister always pays his debts,” but I make sure those debts serve me in the end.

One tactic I’ve mastered is leveraging information (Research). I might not be the largest or most fearsome Lannister, but I know things. I study my opponents, learning their secrets, their weaknesses, their ambitions. Information is power, and I use it to tip the scales in my favour, even when I appear cornered. “The powerful have always preyed on the powerless; that’s how they became powerful in the first place.” So why not exploit that? Turn their strength into a weakness.

I often feign vulnerability, appearing as the underdog, only to reveal that I’m holding the real cards.

I’m also a master of disarming my opponents with wit. A clever insult or unexpected compliment can throw even the most confident person off balance, making them reveal more than they intended or agree to terms they didn’t fully think through. Take my trial in King’s Landing, for example. Did I rage? No, I spoke. I reminded them of their own hypocrisy, twisting the truth just enough to keep them questioning themselves.

One of my favourite tactics is offering a false choice. People believe they have control when they’re presented with two options, but in reality, both paths lead to my advantage. It’s not manipulation—it’s persuasion, artfully done. “I’m guilty of a far more monstrous crime: I am guilty of being a dwarf,” I said in my trial, playing on their prejudices to turn the situation in my favour, though the endgame was always mine to control.

This is why I recommend The Negotiation Club. You won’t become a master negotiator by reading books or attending lectures. You must practice—refine your skills, face different personalities, and learn to think three steps ahead. The Negotiation Club is where you can hone these tactics in a controlled environment, so when you’re dealing with real stakes—whether it’s the Iron Throne or your livelihood—you’ll be prepared.

In negotiations, “wear your weaknesses like armour, and they can never be used to hurt you.” Know your own value, and never let anyone else define it for you. Whether you’re making alliances or planning betrayals (hopefully fewer than I’ve faced), negotiation is the key to survival in a world full of lions, dragons, and, of course, Lannisters.

So, if you think you’re ready to practice the art of getting what you want while making the other person think they’ve won, The Negotiation Club is where you start. Because in the end, “A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone,” and more importantly, it needs experience.

Come sharpen your tactics.... You’ll need them when it really matters!