“Be Prepared” is the Boy Scout’s motto, but it also applies to negotiations. The week, day or night before you are to meet, you should think through some different possible scenarios. First of all, anticipate the major points that may be presented by the other party and formulate some responses. Prioritize them. Not all will be a big deal to you. Secondly, play through a possible conversation in your head, talking aloud or even writing your thoughts down. It could be something like the following. You fill in the blanks. “I’m going to say ____. If he replies with ____, then I’m going to say ____. If he doesn’t go there, and instead says ____, then I’ll say ____.” And so on. There’s a reason the boy scouts’ motto is “Be Prepared.” Everything goes better that way.
Categories: Negotiation