How do you choose negotiation tools and frameworks?

2 Your style

The second criterion to consider when choosing negotiation tools and frameworks is your style. How do you prefer to negotiate? Are you assertive, cooperative, competitive, or accommodating? Your style can influence how you communicate, persuade, and influence others in the negotiation process. Depending on your style, you can use different tools and frameworks to adapt, leverage, or modify your behavior and tactics. For example, if your style is assertive, you can use tools like the power matrix, the persuasion pyramid, or the influence tactics to assess and enhance your sources of power, structure your arguments, and apply effective techniques to persuade others. If your style is cooperative, you can use frameworks like the communication model, the active listening skills, or the empathy map to improve your verbal and non-verbal communication, listen attentively and empathetically, and understand the emotions and perspectives of others. If your style is competitive, you can use tools like the concession matrix, the anchoring effect, or the bargaining zone to plan and make strategic concessions, set and adjust your anchors, and negotiate within the optimal range. If your style is accommodating, you can use frameworks like the assertiveness model, the conflict management styles, or the negotiation styles to increase your self-confidence, assert your rights and interests, and balance your concern for yourself and others.

3 Your context

The third criterion to consider when choosing negotiation tools and frameworks is your context. What are the characteristics of the negotiation situation? Is it a one-time or a repeated interaction, a simple or a complex issue, a low-stakes or a high-stakes deal? Your context can affect how you structure, conduct, and close the negotiation. Depending on your context, you can use different tools and frameworks to optimize, simplify, or secure your negotiation outcome. For example, if your context is a one-time interaction, you can use tools like the negotiation checklist, the agenda setting, or the closing techniques to organize and prepare your negotiation, set and control the negotiation agenda, and close the deal effectively and efficiently. If your context is a complex issue, you can use frameworks like the issue mapping, the criteria setting, or the option generation to break down and prioritize the issues, establish and apply objective criteria, and generate and evaluate multiple options. If your context is a high-stakes deal, you can use tools like the risk analysis, the contingency planning, or the contract drafting to identify and mitigate potential risks, plan for unexpected scenarios, and draft and review a legally binding contract.

4 Your counterpart

The fourth criterion to consider when choosing negotiation tools and frameworks is your counterpart. Who are you negotiating with? What are their objectives, style, context, and behavior? Your counterpart can influence how you interact, respond, and cooperate with them in the negotiation. Depending on your counterpart, you can use different tools and frameworks to analyze, anticipate, or influence their negotiation strategy. For example, if your counterpart has different objectives than you, you can use tools like the interest matrix, the value proposition, or the trade-off analysis to uncover and align their interests, create and communicate your value proposition, and make and request trade-offs that benefit both parties. If your counterpart has a different style than you, you can use frameworks like the style assessment, the style adaptation, or the style feedback to identify and understand their style, adapt and adjust your style, and give and receive constructive feedback. If your counterpart has a different context than you, you can use tools like the cultural dimensions, the etiquette guide, or the protocol checklist to learn and respect their cultural values, norms, and preferences, follow the appropriate etiquette and protocol, and avoid cultural misunderstandings or offenses. If your counterpart has a different behavior than you, you can use frameworks like the behavior observation, the behavior diagnosis, or the behavior intervention to observe and interpret their behavior, diagnose and address the underlying causes, and intervene and manage their behavior effectively.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?