Prepare for a negotiation before you make an offer

Know your interests, your alternatives and the questions you still need to ask.

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Write the outcome, not just the demand

A demand is what you ask for. An interest is why it matters. Before discussing price, time or responsibility, write down the underlying need. You may discover more than one way to meet it, and that gives the conversation somewhere useful to go.

Know your alternative

Describe what you will do if no agreement is reached. Be realistic about the time, cost and risks of that alternative. Keep your preferred outcome separate from your walk-away limit. A limit you have not thought through is hard to recognize under pressure.

Prepare questions before arguments

Ask what the other person needs to accomplish, what constrains them and who else affects the decision. Do not assume their explanation proves your own story about their motives. Summarize what you heard, check it with them and confirm any agreement in clear written terms.