Decide - the last steps to an agreement
For many people, the phase of coming to closure is the most challenging part of a negotiation. Should I make an offer? Should I let the other side start? Again, being prepared will save you a lot of headaches in retrospect as you will not settle for 'cheap' alternatives. Being strategic means using your knowledge to make informed decisions as you complete the negotiations. In this phase, I suggest that you focus on three main steps in order to decide:
- Aim for the Best Possible Agreement (BPA)
- Make small steps agreements
- Take next steps.
Of course, the closer the agreement is to the ideal, the more successful the alliance, otherwise, there will be no 'win-win-situations'. When working with big-picture issues, it is important to make agreements on small and large issues as the parties move along the continuum of negotiation. This is usually the case in complex business transactions or union negotiations. In order to get to the big issues and to resolve the strategic problems, the parties can attempt to make tentative agreements that are contigent to the whole.
- Aim for the Best Possible Agreement (BPA)
- Make small steps agreements
- Take next steps.
Of course, the closer the agreement is to the ideal, the more successful the alliance, otherwise, there will be no 'win-win-situations'. When working with big-picture issues, it is important to make agreements on small and large issues as the parties move along the continuum of negotiation. This is usually the case in complex business transactions or union negotiations. In order to get to the big issues and to resolve the strategic problems, the parties can attempt to make tentative agreements that are contigent to the whole.
