Agree. Which is why I read all these posts and just shrug because the foundation of negotiation is options. We negotiate all the time. Every time we goto the st

Agree. Which is why I read all these posts and just shrug because the foundation of negotiation is options. We negotiate all the time. Every time we goto the store and choose one brand over another, we are negotiating in a macro sense because we have an option. Similarly, the MOST leverage you can get is by first creating options for yourself and then optimizing the final 20% with techniques such as those shared in various blog posts. If you're not willing to walk away, you're not negotiating -- you're just having a conversation about salary. I wouldn't go as far as to say this. As another poster wrote, you have to give the impression of walking away which is way easier to do when you do have other options.