The Elements of Negotiation

ELEMENT 22Strategy Access Matrix (SAM) Model

First, you'll learn about the importance of selecting the right strategy and tactics. Going into a negotiation without a clear plan is akin to surrendering control. It forces you to operate on the other party's terms, impacting your attitude, decisions, and behavior throughout the process. Tactics are the individual moves you make during a negotiation, but they must be underpinned by a solid strategy.

Now, consider the Strategy Access Matrix (SAM) model, a tool I developed to help you identify the most appropriate negotiation strategy based on the mutual importance of the parties involved.

Take a look at the model in the figure: the vertical line represents your importance to your counterpart. The more crucial you are to them, the higher you'll be placed on this line. The horizontal line represents how significant the counterpart is to you. The more important they are, the farther to the right you'll place them.

In a scenario where both parties find each other equally important, you'll land in the top right box of the matrix. What's the best strategy here? If you're thinking SMARTnership, you're spot on. This is where both parties can derive significant mutual benefit from a cooperative, transparent approach.

Conversely, if you find yourself in the bottom left box, where neither party is particularly important to the other, a zero-sum approach is more fitting. In these situations, investing time and resources in a SMARTnership doesn't ...