Practical Negotiating: Tools, Tactics & Techniques

Gaining Alignment on Key Issues

In both planning and execution, team alignment on the previous four areas is crucial. Here are some considerations in each area:

Negotiation Goals and Objectives

• What are the objectives and desired outcomes for the team in this negotiation?

  - Business

  - Personal

• What are the key issues to be negotiated?

• What is our settlement range for each issue?

  - Opening position?

  - Desired settlement point?

  - Walk-away point?

Notes:

Team Roles and Responsibilities

• Who will be involved in planning? Executing? Both?

• Who is the leader of the team?

• Who is designated as content expert?

• Who will run the negotiation session?

• Who has veto power? Or final authority?

Notes:

Procedures and Methods

• Who will manage each stage of the negotiation?

• Who talks to the other side?

• What are the basic ground rules for the team?

• Based on the tactical orientation, how will the team approach this negotiation? Win-win? Adversarial? Neutral?

• What are the signals for caucusing? Taking a break? Moving to a new issue?

• What are the value and order of currencies and concessions?

• What are the nonnegotiables? Deal breakers?

• What is the form for the final agreement?

• Who and how will we manage implementation? Pitfalls? Missed items?

Notes:

Relationships and Negotiating Styles

• What are the negotiating styles on our team? Theirs?

• Are there any personal issues within our team? With anyone on their team?

• How can we reconcile or manage these differences before the negotiation?

Notes: