Never Negotiate Without Being Prepared
July 21st, 2006 (Negotiation)
It cannot be emphasized enough that preparation is the key to successful negotiation. Every minute you put into preparing will be rewarded many times over as you go through your negotiations. Do not let yourself be bullied into a negotiation for which you are unprepared. It is only through a thorough command of the situation that you can expect to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
Some of the negative consequences that can result if you allow yourself to negotiate without being prepared are as follows:
• Inability to defend your position
• Short-sightedness in evaluating all the issues
• Succumbing to pressure to close the negotiation
• Giving up too much to soon
• Forgetting key details
• Not considering all alternatives
• Building an incomplete case for yourself
• Becoming a target of your counterparts’ questions
• Losing control of the negotiation process