If two businessmen from a Western background are negotiating, then studies have shown a little anger can go a long way in demonstrating one man’s strong stance and winning points against the other man. However, bringing anger into the negotiating process introduces a win-lose strategy. The angry man might win some short-term profit gains after dominating the meeting, but the other man is often left with a negative feeling about the way business was conducted, impacting the quality of their future business together. In other words, anger could help a businessman win the battle and lose the war.

Additionally, studies have repeatedly shown that businesswomen are more likely to be perceived negatively when they express anger. In one study, two groups of college students read the exact same paragraph about someone who used strong words to express themselves. One group of students was told the person was male; the other group was told the person was female. When told the paragraph described a man, the students characterized him as assertive, tough, strong, and confident. When told the paragraph described a woman, the students characterized her as aggressive, shrill, and off-putting.

Now a new study shows that people lose ground when they express anger while negotiating with someone from an East Asian background. In the study, East Asian people were less likely to make concessions after someone got angry during the negotiating process. The researchers noted that angry outbursts are “considered culturally inappropriate” among East Asian people.

So if you’re negotiating as a woman, or with someone with an East Asian background, or with someone with whom you’d like to cultivate a long-term business relationship, expressing anger might do more harm than good!