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Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement.

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Preparing to Negotiate

Over the course of training and consulting with tens of thousands of negotiators and dealmakers, we have become aware that, by far, the most common and costly mistakes in negotiation take place before talks even begin. Interestingly, the problem is usually not faulty preparation, but a lack of preparation altogether! Under the false assumption that negotiation is “all art and no science,” most people fail to prepare adequately for negotiation. When coupled with the belief that the “real action” begins at the bargaining table, even smart, thoughtful, and motivated people walk into substantive negotiations ill-prepared.

Thus, it is critical that you adopt a thorough methodology to help you prepare to negotiate. Our five-step pre-negotiation framework offers a simple yet effective approach. (In the chapters that follow, we will add to this list as we confront more complex negotiations.)

Step 1: Assess your BATNA. The first step in any negotiation is to ask yourself, “What will I do if the current negotiation ends in no deal?” In other words, you need to assess your BATNA, or best alternative to negotiated agreement—the course of action you will pursue if and when the current negotiation ends in an impasse.3 Without a clear understanding of your BATNA, it is impossible to know when to accept a final offer and when to walk away in order to pursue other options. Your BATNA assessment requires the following three steps:

1.Identify all of the plausible alternative options you might pursue if you are unable to reach an agreement with the other party.

2.Estimate the value associated with each alternative.

3.Select the best alternative; this is your BATNA.

In the Hamilton case, you have a number of alternatives if the negotiation with Connie Vega ends in impasse: you might wait for other offers, you might approach Quincy Developments

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