I think the core ethos of the book is every negotiation is different and so each tip/technique is just that - a tip/technique you can add to your tool belt and use when the context lends itself to it.

The book also mentions anchoring should usually be avoided in negotiations and instead it recommends you focus on the non monetary value points each party can exchange.

There is actually a section on negotiating salary and IIRC it recommends you provide a range where the bottom of the range is where you are hoping to land.

So you are correct - I would never say in a salary negotiation that I need an exact dollar amount as it might make me love petty unless I prefaced it with 'I have a family to feed and a roof to put over our heads'.

I was able to successfully navigate tricky negotiation situations using his advice, but salary increases were never a part of it. I believe salary increases should reflect professional skills and not negotiation skills, and I avoid companies which reward negotiation skills with higher salary.

I have always used the "imprecise offer" somewhere in the middle, and it usually worked out great.

>I avoid companies which reward negotiation skills with higher salary.

This is like saying "I avoid companies run by humans".

I can tell you that I have worked at several companies, and am currently working on another company, where negotiation skills do not determine your salary.