Stages of Negotiation, Part One

Preparation and Planning

In the preparation and planning stage, you (as a party in the negotiation) need to determine and clarify your own goals in the negotiation. This is a time when you take a moment to define and truly understand the terms and conditions of the exchange and the nature of the conflict. What do you want to walk away with?

You should also take this moment to anticipate the same for the other party. What are their goals in this negotiation? What will they ask for? Do they have any hidden agendas that may come as a surprise to you? What might they settle for, and how does that differ from the outcome you’re hoping for?

This is a time to develop a strategy for the negotiation.

Definition of Ground Rules

After the planning and strategy development stage is complete, it’s time to work with the other party to define the ground rules and procedures for the negotiation. This is the time when you and the other party will come to agreement on questions like:

•Who will do the negotiating—will we do it personally or invite a third party?

•Where will the negotiation take place?

•Will there be time constraints placed on this negotiation process?

•Will there be any limits to the negotiation?

•If an agreement can’t be reached, will there be any specific process to handle that?

Usually it’s during this phase that the parties exchange their initial positions.

Vocabulary:

determine – to find out, calculate, or decide something officially after looking at facts or evidence, “The doctor did some tests to determine what was causing my stomach pain.”

clarify – to make something clear, plain, and easy to understand by explaining it simply, “Could you please clarify the last step of the cooking instructions?”

terms and conditions – the specific rules, requirements, or agreements that people must accept in a deal, contract, or arrangement, “You should always read the terms and conditions before downloading a new phone app.”

nature of the conflict – the main characteristics, type, or true reason behind a fight, argument, or disagreement, “The manager sat down with both employees to understand the nature of the conflict between them.”

walk away with – to achieve, win, or receive something at the end of an event, negotiation, or competition, “After a tough interview, she managed to walk away with a great job offer.”

anticipate – to expect, imagine, or prepare for something before it actually happens, “We anticipate that a lot of people will visit the beach today because the weather is so hot.”

hidden agendas – secret plans, reasons, or motives that someone keeps hidden from others while pretending to do something else, “The politicians seemed very friendly, but the voters suspected they had hidden agendas.”

settle for – to accept something that is less than what you originally wanted because you cannot get anything better, “They wanted a luxury house, but they had to settle for a small apartment due to their budget.”

outcome – the final result, effect, or end point of an action, situation, or process, “We are all waiting anxiously to hear the final outcome of the championship game.”

develop a strategy – to create a detailed, smart plan of action to achieve a specific goal or success, “The team met on Monday to develop a strategy for increasing their online sales.”

ground rules – basic, fundamental rules that everyone agrees to follow before starting an activity, meeting, or discussion, “The teacher set some ground rules before the classroom debate began.”

procedures – official, step-by-step methods or a series of actions that must be followed to do something correctly and safely, “The factory workers must follow strict safety procedures when using the heavy machines.”

third party – a person, group, or company that is not directly involved in an argument or agreement but acts as an outside helper, witness, or judge, “If the two friends cannot agree, they might ask a third party to help them solve the issue.”

time constraints – limitations or strict boundaries placed on how much time is available to finish a task or project, “Because of tight time constraints, we had to finish the business presentation in only fifteen minutes.”

initial positions – the starting ideas, offers, or prices that each side shares at the very beginning of a negotiation, “Both sides stated their initial positions before trying to compromise on a final contract.”