Business Negotiation July 23, 2013

The Pyramid of Planning Strategy Blocks-Part Three

We continue our discussion of the planning points of the strategy blocks in the Pyramid of Planning. Each point is designed to stimulate the kind of thinking and analysis that is essential to effective planning-the kind of thinking that will result in intelligent long-lasting agreements.

1. Selecting the Right Team and Negotiator
   1. Who should negotiate?
   2. Who should be on the team, if any? Why?
   3. Who should be the official listener and note taker?
   4. How many people on each side? What should each person do?
   5. Are there any status or knowledge imbalances between negotiators which will intimidate our negotiator?
   6. Do our people have the time to do a good job? Do they need more time?
   7. Do our people get along well?
   8. Is the chemistry between our people and theirs good?
   9. What do we know about the opposing negotiator’s character, honesty, work habits, carefulness, knowledge and ability?
   10. Every team has to have a leader. Who should be the leader in this situation? Why?
   11. Is there enough time for the negotiator or the team to plan well?

1. Motivation Strategy
   1. What do we think their organization wants?
   2. What do we thing their hidden, “under the iceberg” wants are?
   3. What is our offer worth to them now? In the long run?
   4. If we agree, who among those in the organization benefits most?
   5. If we disagree, who among them loses most?
   6. Who pays the final price – the buyer, the buyer’s customer, the government or some third party?
   7. Who are the end users? Are they locked in? To us? To whom? Why?
   8. What risks are they averse to taking?
   9. Who makes the profit on the sale? How much?
   10. Where is the real profit on the sale? Does it come now? In the long run?
   11. Why are we important to them?
   12. What cost-risk trade-offs are worth taking?

1. Information Gathering Strategy
   1. Write down what we want to know.
   2. Where can we best get the information?
   3. Who can best get it?
   4. Who should act as our intelligence center?
   5. Are there any moral or legal problems in getting information?
   6. What don’t we want them to know?
   7. Where are the weak links in our intelligence? What are theirs?
   8. Who is responsible for security?
   9. What can we learn from past negotiations?
   10. How can we help others in future negotiations?
   11. How much business are we doing with them now?
   12. How well are they performing on their present business?
   13. How badly does the buyer need our offer of goods and services?
   14. How badly does the seller need the order? Why?
   15. What don’t we want to talk about at this negotiation? Why?

In the next post, we will talk about the last block of the Pyramid of Planning: Decision-making strategy.