Dr. Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Director of the Master of Science in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution program at Columbia University, suggests these steps to prepare for a negotiation, each with a provocative question to guide planning.
- Goals: What are my goals for this negotiation and how do they fit into my overall strategy?
- Stakeholder: Who is directly and indirectly involved in this negotiation?
- Relationship: What is the nature of my current relationship and what type of relationship do I want to build?
- Framing: How do I frame this negotiation to make it a win-win?
- Create the Need: What are the motivating factors for all relevant parties to engage in this negotiation?
- Communication: What do I want other parties to hear and how will I communicate it to them?
- Scenario Planning: What are some possible reactions they may have to my proposals?
- Agility & Resilience: What is my BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement)?
These steps are taken from Beth Fisher-Yoshida’s Psychology Today article, “Up Your Negotiation Game.”
