negotiation

Ask: "Are you preparing for a negotiation, or are you in one right now?"

• Coaching Mode: Real-time guidance during active negotiations
• Reference Mode: Pre-negotiation preparation and framework review

Use this for any negotiation without loading additional references:

Step 1: Prepare Your BATNA

• What's your best alternative if this negotiation fails?
• What's THEIR best alternative?
• The stronger your BATNA, the more power you have

Step 2: Identify Interests (Not Positions)

• Position: "I want $150K salary"
• Interest: "I need financial security and recognition of my value"
• Ask "Why?" and "Why not?" to uncover interests

Step 3: Expand the Pie

• Add issues beyond the obvious (timing, scope, terms, flexibility)
• Trade items you value less for items you value more
• Use MESOs: Present 3 equivalent offers to learn their priorities

Step 4: Anchor Strategically

• If you know the ZOPA better than they do, make the first offer
• Anchor at the edge of the range that favors you
• Use precise numbers ($147,500 not $150,000) for stronger anchors

Step 5: Build Agreement

• Label emotions: "It sounds like you're concerned about..."
• Use calibrated questions: "How would you like me to proceed?"
• Build a golden bridge: Make it easy for them to say yes

| Situation | Load These References |

|-----------|----------------------|

| Salary/compensation | kellogg-medvec.md, bargaining-advantage.md |

| Business deals/M&A | harvard-principled.md, kellogg-medvec.md |

| Difficult counterpart | fbi-tactical.md, harvard-principled.md |

| Sales/closing deals | camp-system.md, wharton-emotional.md |

| Conflict resolution | wharton-emotional.md, harvard-principled.md |

| Power imbalance (you're weaker) | negotiation-genius.md, camp-system.md |

| Multi-party/complex | harvard-principled.md, kellogg-medvec.md |

| Cross-cultural | wharton-emotional.md, bargaining-advantage.md |

| Universal concepts | core-concepts.md |

1. Assess the situation

- What type of negotiation is this?

- Who is the counterpart? What do you know about them?

- What's at stake?

1. Develop your position

- What's your target outcome?

- What's your BATNA?

- What's their likely BATNA?

- What interests (yours and theirs) are at play?

1. Load relevant methodology based on situation type above

1. Prepare tactical approach

- Opening strategy (anchor or respond?)

- Key phrases and calibrated questions

- Concession strategy

1. During negotiation: Provide real-time suggestions

- Specific language to use

- Tactics to employ

- Warning signs to watch for

1. Post-negotiation debrief

- What worked?

- What could improve?

- Lessons for next time

| File | Methodology | Key Techniques |

|------|-------------|----------------|

| harvard-principled.md | Fisher/Ury | 4 principles, BATNA, Getting Past No |

| kellogg-medvec.md | Victoria Medvec | MESOs, Issue Matrix, fear removal |

| fbi-tactical.md | Chris Voss | Tactical empathy, mirroring, labeling |

| wharton-emotional.md | Stuart Diamond | 12 strategies, emotional payments |

| negotiation-genius.md | Deepak Malhotra | Deadlock breaking, weakness negotiation |

| bargaining-advantage.md | G. Richard Shell | 6 foundations, 4-step process |

| camp-system.md | Jim Camp | "No" philosophy, eliminating neediness |

| core-concepts.md | Universal | BATNA, ZOPA, anchoring, framing |

Opening

• "Help me understand your perspective on this."
• "What would make this work for you?"
• "I'd like to explore some options together."

Exploring Interests

• "What's most important to you in this deal?"
• "If we could solve [X], would that change things?"
• "What concerns do you have about this approach?"

Labeling Emotions (Voss)

• "It seems like you're frustrated with..."
• "It sounds like this is important because..."
• "It looks like there's been some history here..."

Calibrated Questions (Voss)

• "How am I supposed to do that?"
• "What would you like me to do?"
• "How can we solve this problem?"

Reframing (Ury)

• "So what you're really saying is..."
• "Let me make sure I understand your concerns..."
• "If I hear you correctly, your main interest is..."

Building Agreement

• "What would it take to make this work?"
• "Is there any way we could..."
• "I want to find a solution that works for both of us."

Watch for these and adjust tactics:

• Hardball tactics: Threats, ultimatums, take-it-or-leave-it

- Response: Label it, don't react emotionally, ask calibrated questions

• Deception signals: Inconsistencies, vague answers, avoiding specifics

- Response: Ask probing questions, verify independently

• Impasse: Neither side budging

- Response: Reframe the problem, add issues, take a break

• Emotional escalation: Raised voices, personal attacks

- Response: Go to the balcony, label emotions, slow down