10 Tips to Come to Agreement Effectively

1. Consider all parties involved in the agreement and outcome.

Note the counterpart and anyone else on their team, those internal to you who are involved and can impact the outcome, and any third parties that might influence or be affected by the agreement

2. Identify key interests (both substantive and relationship) of all key parties.

Consider several interests, needs and concerns of the key parties in the negotiation. Distinguish between substantive interests and relationship aspects.

3. Develop several options to meet the key interests in the negotiation.

Brainstorm several possible options or solutions that meet the interests of all parties. Consider how the options create value for all parties. Put out options that are on the high end of the range of possible ones and yet reasonable.

4. Focus on value rather than only price-based discussions.

Move the discussion off price if it goes there too quickly or early in the conversation to include all types of value that are possible in an agreement. Develop options and solutions that are comprehensive and outside of price only. If the conversation becomes a price concession haggle, bring it back around to what’s important beyond money.

5. Consider possible criteria to be persuasive and establish fairness and objectivity with proposed options.

Research and present specific criteria and ways to measure and narrow the solutions or agreements (benchmarks, policies, precedents).

6. Prepare no-agreement alternatives up front in case no agreement is reached.

Determine what you will do to meet your needs if you cannot come to agreement. Consider what the other party might do if no agreement comes into place and looked at ways to weaken that perception.

7. Ask effective questions to get underneath positions and demands and to gather more information during the negotiation and confirm your counterpart's thinking.

Ask open-ended questions and listen to responses to understand the other party's needs better. Question assumptions during preparation and test them at the table. Paraphrase or repeat back to demonstrate your understanding.

8. Prepare for the negotiation using a strategic approach.

Think strategically about the negotiation components. Consider what information you are missing and may want to discuss or confirm.

9. Recognize challenging conditions and dynamics and use leverage points to make progress on the negotiation.

Identify challenging negotiation conditions (difficult behaviors and styles, competitor/internal pressures). Use leverage and shift the conversation to persuasive points to move the negotiation back to key interests and possible options that bring value.

10. Exhibit a calm demeanor and remain focused on the negotiation outcome despite difficult behaviors from counterparts.

Keep your tone civil and refrain from reacting to potentially inflammatory statements from counterparts. Return the conversation to the subjects at hand. If the counterpart attempts to derail the conversation, address the communication process directly and request a different approach.