Page 15 - Becoming a Better Negotiator

2. Mapping a Negotiation Strategy
A. Begin With The End in Mind
With apologies to Stephen Covey, your negotiation stately should always begin with the end in mind. IN his 7 Habits, Covey uses this “habit” to discuss underlying principles and long-term goals, but it is critically important in a negotiation to determine the objective before the mediation.
It is critically important to determine the objective before mediation.
Too much emotion is involved for real critical thinking in the "heat" of a negotiation. The other side may say something that inflames those emotions and making it too easy to lose sight of the goal. Additionally, it is impossible to structure a negotiation if you do not know where you want to end up. As George Harrison put it: "if you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there.”
No plan survives first contact with the enemy ...
Of course, the end the parties have in mind must be realistic. Determining “realistic” requires an accurate assessment of the law and facts but also requires an understanding of the other factors that play into the BATNA. If your client’s best day in court is a million-dollar
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