Ten Positional Bargaining Tips

"1. Your power lies in your walk-away alternatives. Make sure that you have real, viable options that don't require an agreement...
2. Do not disclose your walk-away alternatives...
3. Figure out the walk-away alternatives of the other parties...
4. No offer is too high. Any offer is valid provided you can present objective criteria that prove each term of the offer fills to some extent the underlying needs of all parties.
5. Don't react emotionally...[to] tactics intended to intimidate, rush, draw out discussions, or otherwise derail the focus from underlying needs and mutual gain...Draw attention back to substantive interests and options...
6. Remember that all the needs presented are not of equal importance...
7. Listen...
8. Know the authority of each person in the room...
9. Analyze concessions...
10. Never be bludgeoned into splitting the difference..."

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