Negotiation planning tools for a ‘win-win’ outcome

article is in response to a very common query. Why bother? First of all, why should one even bother to make the other side win?

Well, it turns out most untrained negotiators are just myopically concerned of their own side’s win. When counterpart negotiators have such mentality, particularly if their conflicting demands are substantial, then it takes very little imagination to predict a falling out. Thereby, nobody really ends up winning optimally as both parties will most likely resort to their walk away alternatives. Usually, none of these walk-away alternatives will be as good as the intended earlier deal, regrettably predetermined to be doomed by the onesided focus.

Hence, it is important that both sides win. After all, no one in his logical mind wants to lose. Exceptionally, the only reason a party would accept losing is if they are untrained on negotiations, they view the transaction as a calculated investment for a longterm win, or lastly, if power is disproportionately unfavorable, exacerbated by the absence of off-table alternatives. In all such cases, transaction remorse will likely be experienced either by the negotiators or their superiors. Some will be tolerant, while others will vengefully exact their pound of flesh down the road, when circumstances provide them advantageous opportunity.

TACTICAL CONCESSIONS

Perspective-wise, planning should consider both sides. By looking at both perspectives prior to the negotiation encounter, one gets to understand and anticipate what concessions the other party will ask for and likewise, what they can give. By planning for both sides, the picture becomes substantially more representative of reality. Curiously, the side that plans more effectively also gains the power of knowledge. Obviously, data need to be gathered prior to the negotiation segment. For trained people, they know that critical data gathering is always part of the discovery sub-phase during the “sell-in” phase. “Sell-in” phase refers to the segment that precedes or even prevents negotiation from happening at all. Incidentally, negotiation only comes into play when the “sell-in” phase does not out-rightly secure an agreement.

Simple negotiations involving two concession items can be planned on the back of the napkin. However, the more concession variables there are, not to mention quantitative calibrations that need to be considered (e.g. terms options seven days, 15 days, 30 days; discounts, amount of discounts, service-level commitments in percentage, etc.), the more it requires a robust tool. This is where Nego-Math becomes essential.

This particular Mansmith Mentors article contributor has developed the world’s first and only negotiation planning tool that actually computes for win-win. What the tool does is it enables the user to generate several win-win plans from the best plan to as many other feasible plans properly sequenced to maximize gain of the user while ensuring the other party wins too in each of those alternative plans.