Strategic Assessment Tool

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  • Please give your assessment a name that is meaningful to you. It doesn't have to be long. If you take multiple assessments for this project, the name will be helpful in telling one from another.

  • Knowledge Acquisition: Deal Intelligence

    Knowledge on several different levels determine our efficacy in the negotiation.
  • Do you have an overall complete and intelligent view of the negotiation "knowledge" (subject matter, deal specific, team knowledge, individual knowledge, communications preference)?
  • Do you know your intelligence quotient to be above 115?
  • Do you have information about the deal specifically as to the subject matter of the deal or dispute is conducted (obtained by experience, practice or research etc.)?
  • Do you know what motivates the negotiators or drives the organization decision criteria?
  • Did you have access to a plan, a mechanism or process to reacting to incorporate and adapt to new information as the negotiation unfolds in real time?
  • Are you prepared to disclose selective knowledge or data to avoid an impasse, create trust, likability or other influential factor?
  • Are you prepared for and able to avoid making naked concessions (one that is offered with no reciprocal ask)?
  • Is your team trusted with sensitive information and do you know their behavior patterns and how to they respond to negotiation or other social cues?
  • Prepared teams that know each other and the adversaries likely responses have higher success rates according to research. "Choreography" involves thinking about ground rules followed by an opening strategy, mid-game (what if) and endgame (close or walk away point). See BATNA.
  • Do you know the opposition's psychological tendencies or personality preference type (e.g., passive agressive, narcissistic, Myers-Briggs, Gallup-Clinton Strengths Finder, etc.) ?
  • Did you conduct a game theory analysis?
  • Do do you know the facts as leader or if you are not leading the negotiation, does your leader know the role of a leader in a transaction or dispute?
  • Do you know your fallback positions, walk away or best alternative to negotiated agreement (BATNA) for each negotiated point?
  • Do you know the opposition's fallback positions, walk away or best alternative to negotiated agreement (BATNA) for each negotiated point?

  • Communications Protocol

  • Do you know the communication preferences of your adversary?
  • Do you know your personal communication preferences? What works best for you?
  • What is your gender?
  • Do you look different than the opposition by appearance / socioeconomics / race?

  • Communications: How are the negotiations conducted?
  • A certain dynamic takes place when using intermediaries where by we must communicate with them on a basic level and reach them so they can communicate to our opponent.
  • Do you know your opposition's preferred method of communication?
  • Can you match your oppositions preferred method of communication?
  • Is the opposition a professional negotiator?

  • Current State

  • Do you know where you or your organization is regarding how this negotiation fits their strategy and vision and your ability to optimize the benefit of the negotiation?
  • Did you communicate your current state to the opposition in just enough details so they can offer a complete and accurate proposal while allowing for a creative solution that may dramatically increase value?

  • Future State

  • Did you communicate your desired state to the opposition?
  • Do you know if your adversary is a competitor, vendor, customer or complimentor?

  • Ability to Perform

  • Does the opposition have the ability to perform in your judgment?
  • Do they possess the engineering or quality in manufacturing process for goods, or the team (A list people) with "tools" (software, machines) for services and management experience to do the job?
  • Are they qualified, educated, certified or trained in what you want them to do?

  • Write it Down: Deal Durability

    Is there a way to refer to the terms of the deal - affixation in tangible form physical or electronically.
  • Is there a written current contract?
  • Are there emails or other writings that look like a meeting of the minds?
  • Are their prior dealings?
  • Did you change your position in reliance on a promise?
  • Are their referencable industry standards to doing the deal?
  • Is there an oral contract with at least one witness?

  • Assessing Deal Durability

  • Did the deal feel like it was a joint effort by both parties?

  • Ethics

  • No illegal or unethical deals should be entered into, but does this negotiation reflect your values and the values of your counterpart?
  • This field is for you to enter any notes that might help you with this project. It is optional.