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Make Sure You Understand ALL the Issues

By James A Baker Chairman Baker Communications January 2008

The heart of any negotiation is the set of issues that must be discussed, traded and/or resolved in order to come to a satisfactory agreement. Usually, these issues are initially laid out as part of the negotiation agenda (which can either be formally stipulated in a meeting document or casually addressed verbally, depending on the type of negotiation).

The important thing to remember here is that a) the agenda itself is usually a product of a brief negotiation, and b) the agenda is subject to renegotiation as the process unfolds, as new issues and ideas are put on the table during the flow of the negotiation. Changes in structure or strategy often lead to adding, reprioritizing or eliminating issues as both parties search for the best set of components to define a satisfactory resolution.

One of the most important aspects of preparing the agenda is to be aware of who is preparing it. This person will structure the agenda in a way that makes sense to them, based on the issues that are important to them. However, obviously, this doesnt mean the agenda will address everything that is important to you. Dont ever agree to an agenda unless there is a place on it to address your issues, too.

Another mistake that ineffective negotiators make is only negotiating the issues that are important to launch the project under discussion. It is well and good to gain as much positive momentum during a negotiation, but this often leads to downplaying questions that need to be addressed should the deal later break down. One year from now, if you should discover that the deal negotiated has big problems, will you have adequate remedies to resolve the situation? During your preparation phase, be sure and brainstorm possible sources of breakdown and conflict that could arise down the road, and include these issues on the agenda to discuss now...

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