Strategic Negotiating Skills

December 11 & 12, 2016 – New York, NY – Trimbos Instituut

Physical Skills

Handshake – Firm, eye-to-eye, break ice.

Seated Posture – Lean forward, gesture and maintain eye contact.

Prepare Strategy

  • Understand your Initial Position
  • Define your Walk-Away
  • Prepare Strategic Counteroffers (in Combination)
  • List Specific Get/Give Options

Request an Offer

  • Acknowledge counterpart's interest
  • State willingness to listen
  • Request counterpart's specific position

Active Listening

Use Playbacks:

  • "Let me see if I understand…"
  • "In other words…"
  • "So, what you're saying is…"

Probe for Rationale

Explore Needs:

  • "How did you arrive at that?"
  • "Why is that important for you?"
  • "What do you think would be fair?"
  • "Why do you say that?"
  • "Specifically…"

Decline and Explain

  • "I’d like you to understand our position…"
  • "I'd like you to understand why this is further than we can go…"

Use Get/Give™ Counteroffers

  • "If you could…" (Get)
  • "Then, I could justify…" (Give)
  • Present Treasures
  • Added value to confirm agreement
  • Summarize and define next steps