In her keynote address at a recent conference I attended, Arianna Huffington asked how many in the audience typically sleep with a cell phone by their bed. Two-thirds of the hands went up.

The push to be perpetually connected and stay ahead of the game sometimes puts us behind--in getting adequate rest and in focusing on critical business activities. According to Ms. Huffington and many productivity experts, multitasking doesn't work.  

And it certainly won't work in a negotiation, which demands your full attention so you can clearly communicate to those on the other side, pick up on their signals, and determine your next move. So if you find your eyes drifting down to your mobile device, re-focus on what's happening now. And if you see your negotiating partner distracted, take immediate action (see Tutorial).

To negotiate effectively, you must be there--100%.