Here are some key skills to help prepare for a negiation:-

1. What are we going to negotiate about ?

2. Do I know all the issues the other person/people might raise ?

3. Do they know all the issues I am likely to raise ?

4. What is the ideal settlement I would like to achieve ?

5. What is the worst I would agree to settle for ?

6. Realistically, what do I have a good chance of achieving ?

7. What concessions might I be able to offer to improve my chances of getting more of what I want>

8.What answers do I think the other person/people would give to the questions above ?

9. Do I need to meet the other person/people informally to sound out their own position ( and impress them with the strength of my own ) ?

10. What should be my opening offer or demand ?

11. Will it leave me enough room to manoeuvre ?

12. What arguements am I going to use to support my case ?

The rest of the key skills to help prepare for an effective negotiation will appear next time.