Select a "real-world" negotiation situation which involves more than one issue and which you can obtain complete information needed to complete the template. If necessary to find a situation, you may interview someone in a business or professional position.
After determining your "real-world" negotiation situation, answer the following questions:
1. Describe the nature of the negotiation situation.
2. What are your major goals for this negotiation? What do you believe are your counterpart's major goals?
3. To gain valuable insight into the potential outcome of the negotiation, estimate the BATNAs of both parties. What is your real BATNA? What is their real BATNA?
4. Do you anticipate any cultural/gender or other considerations in the negotiation? Is so, how will you prepare yourself to handle them?
5. List and describe each key issue you anticipate will be of interest to either or both parties. These "Key Issues" make or break the settlement. They require the most thought and planning. What are the likely key issues that one party and/or the other will need to resolve to reach an agreement?
6. Analyze each key issue and identify your interests, the interests of your counterpart, and then identify the separate interests (sources of options you can trade) and mutual interests (options you have in common and thus can build rapport).
7. For each key issue, decide at least one option that is affordable, fair, workable, and mutually beneficial to both parties.
8. What objective criteria or standard can be suggested to resolve each key issue?
9. Develop a list of two to five "throwaways" or nonkey issues which you can use to trade for an issue of value to you, or include in a package proposal during negotiations.
10. Provide a candid analysis of the RBL = Relative Bargaining Leverage of the two parties for each of the three critical elements: Timing, information, power both for the negotiation situation.
11. How might you change each of the three critical elements: timing (speed up or delay, use a deadline), information (collect additional information), and power (strengthen the other parties perception of your BATNA, or weaken their perception of their own BATNA) to improve your Relative Bargaining Leverage?
12. List each key issue, and then estimate the resistance point (reasonable maximum or minimum value) each party is likely to set for that issue, thus establishing the "Settlement Range" on each issue.
13. List each key issue and provide a convincing argument which you will use to "frame" your offer and support your position.
14. How will you open the negotiation in a manner which will establish rapport with the other party?
15. Prepare your opening statement. Include a description of what you see as the "big picture" of the negotiations, any ground rules you wish to propose (consider the five Ws), and how you think the process should begin (opening statements, exchange of issues to be settled, provision of pertinent data/information, etc).
16. Do you feel ready to start negotiations? If not what else must you do to prepare to begin?