How to Achieve a Win-Win Outcome in Negotiations Without Going Mad
We negotiate everything every day — but mostly, we are unaware of these negotiations we call living
Negotiating takes time, and time is money, so we rush to a sub-optimal resolution.
I have become conscious that I have been negotiating four times, which took months rather than minutes or days. In all cases, I achieved success because of the negotiation principles used, and in the process, I kept my sanity, even though the situation was one of immense personal stress.
You can improve anything you do with training and practice, and I became better with practice, avoiding repeating previous mistakes and getting a result faster. It’s always questionable whether the result could have been even better, but I believe dwelling on what-ifs is pointless and destructive.
In 1993, as part of an MSc in Organisation Behaviour, I used Fischer and Ury’s seminal book on negotiation, “Getting to Yes.” This book clarified what I had been doing into concrete practices, making me more effective and less stressed in challenging negotiations.
The Four Principles for Getting to Yes
Separate the people from the problem.
Focus on interests…
