Negotiation strategies that make money

There is a school of thought that believes that certain types of negotiations are fixed pie or zero sum negotiations. Meaning that what I win you lose and the other way around. A fixed pie assumption leads us to believe that there is a finite resource and both parties are now competing for the bigger piece of it. This assumption is destructive, leads to unreasonable means and unpleasant behaviours.   In some instances this approach can lead to deadlocks and it damages relationships. Once a negotiator has abandoned the fixed pie assumption and starts to concentrate on the opportunities on how to create value and grow the pie for both parties the negotiation becomes more complex but also more rewarding for both parties. In order to create value the negotiation parties need to be interested in each other and understand each other’s interests, pain points and goal. The following steps will assist with achieving this: Find a common ground – build rapport Find something th