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.