How to use the ten free negotiation tools
Planning for Your Negotiation
The Negotiation Planning Checklist is the most important tool because planning is key to negotiating success. Before your negotiations, answer the questions in the checklist. To help you understand how to use the checklist, here is an example of a Completed Negotiation Planning Checklist.Optional Planning Tools
- Assess Your Negotiating Style This tool will help you understand your negotiating style. You should complete the assessment at least once and review it periodically—especially before a cross-cultural negotiation.
- Developing Your Negotiating Power Use the questions in this tool to develop your power in negotiations.
- Checklist of Psychological Tools This tool gives you a checklist of psychological tools that you can use during negotiations. Review this checklist when preparing for negotiations and keep it handy while negotiating. Remember that these tools are also traps that you want to avoid when used by the other side.
- Checklist of Ethical Standards and Guidelines Ethical questions arise frequently during negotiations. This checklist provides guidelines you can use when faced with ethical dilemmas.
- Contract Law Checklist This checklist lists key legal questions to consider as you try to create a successful contract while avoiding liability.
- Five-Factor Test to Decide Whether You Should Negotiate Through an Agent Business negotiations are usually conducted by agents. This list of questions will help you decide whether to negotiate a deal yourself or through an agent.
- Life Goals Analysis A life goals analysis is especially recommended for dispute resolution negotiations, but is also useful in deal making. This tool lists some life goals that you should consider before negotiations begin.
Evaluating Your Performance
To build your personal negotiation skills and your company’s contracting capability, you should review your negotiations shortly after they are completed. Here are two tools that will help you with your negotiation reviews:
- Your Personal Negotiation Performance Review By answering these questions after negotiations are completed, you will be able to focus on areas for improvement in your future negotiations.
- Company Negotiation Performance Review Negotiating successful contracts is key to business success. To build contracting capability, you should answer these questions and share the information with negotiators throughout the company.
