Truth 20. Negotiate issues simultaneously, not sequentially

Many people negotiate in the same way that they run their business meetings: by strict agenda. They simply list all issues under negotiation and then attempt to reach an agreement on each one, in sequence. Unfortunately, negotiating each issue independently is not only exhausting, it increases the likelihood of lose–lose agreements. Why? Negotiators are more likely to adopt a demanding, positional approach on each issue; they fight each battle and lose perspective about what is ultimately the most important issue. A far better approach is to discuss issues as packages and combine issues.

The key for negotiators is to handle several parts of a deal at the same time. This approach has ...

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