Negotiation Cheat Sheet
The core ideas of Negotiation distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.
Quick Reference
BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
The best outcome a party can achieve if the current negotiation fails. BATNA serves as a benchmark for evaluating any proposed agreement and is the primary source of negotiating power.
Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA)
The range between each party's reservation point (walk-away price) in which an agreement can satisfy both sides. If no ZOPA exists, a deal is not possible without changing the terms.
Anchoring
The tactic of establishing a reference point early in a negotiation that influences subsequent offers and counteroffers. The first number placed on the table often exerts a powerful gravitational pull on the final outcome.
Integrative (Win-Win) Bargaining
A negotiation approach that seeks to expand the total value available to all parties by identifying complementary interests and making trade-offs across multiple issues rather than competing over a single fixed resource.
Distributive (Win-Lose) Bargaining
A negotiation strategy in which a fixed amount of value is divided between parties. One side's gain is the other's loss, making it a zero-sum interaction. Common in single-issue negotiations such as price.
Principled Negotiation
A framework from the Harvard Negotiation Project that advocates separating people from the problem, focusing on interests rather than positions, generating options for mutual gain, and insisting on objective criteria.
Reservation Point (Walk-Away Price)
The least favorable point at which a party will still accept a deal. Beyond this point, the party is better off pursuing their BATNA. It defines the boundary of the ZOPA.
Logrolling
A technique in multi-issue negotiations where each party concedes on issues they value less in exchange for gains on issues they value more, thereby creating mutual benefit.
Framing
The way a proposal or issue is presented to influence how the other party perceives it. Framing a concession as a gain rather than as reducing a loss can dramatically affect the other side's willingness to accept.
Active Listening
A communication technique in negotiation involving fully concentrating on the other party's words, reflecting their statements, asking clarifying questions, and demonstrating empathy to build trust and uncover hidden interests.
Key Terms at a Glance
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