Negotiation 1:1
First intensive session to learn to negotiate with clarity, confidence, and strategy
🎯 Main Objective
Help the client understand the foundations of effective negotiation, clarify their real case, and leave with a negotiation script and plan (interests, options, and concessions) to apply in a concrete conversation this week.
Specific Objectives:
- Framework: Differentiate positions from interests and locate their ZOPA and BATNA/WATNA.
- Map: Identify stakeholders, objective criteria, and negotiable variables.
- Strategy: Design 2–3 creative agreement options and a concessions plan.
- Communication: Practice exploratory questions, listening, and proposal framing.
- Confidence: Prepare an opening script, objection handling, and closing.
- Action: Plan the real conversation with success metrics and next steps.
📋 Required Materials
Alternatives and zone of possible agreement
Interests, power, and influence
Price, timelines, scope, warranties, etc.
Timed role-plays
Client’s real context
Exploratory, probing, and closing
⏰ Detailed Timeline (60 minutes)
Check-in and Context
Align expectations, real case, and session goals. Narrow the negotiation type (internal, client, supplier, salary).
Warm-up: Mini-Diagnosis
Self-assess confidence, preparation, use of silence, and objections. Identify 1–2 leverage skills.
Foundations Express
Practical recap: interests vs. positions, BATNA/WATNA, ZOPA, objective criteria, and anchors. Short example applied to the client’s case.
Strategy Design
Map stakeholders and interests, negotiable variables, criteria, and concessions. Generate 2–3 mutual value options.
Role-play Round 1: Exploration
Practice opening, probing questions, and listening. Coach plays counterpart. Feedback using GROW + SBI.
Role-play Round 2: Proposal and Objections
Practice reasonable anchoring, argumentation with objective criteria, and handling 1–2 objections.
Debrief and Action Plan
Lock the script, next steps, and success metrics for this week’s real conversation.
🎭 Roles and Responsibilities
👨💼 Coach’s Role
- Facilitator: Create psychological safety and cadence.
- Mirror: Point out biases, language, and nonverbal cues.
- Architect: Structure strategy, options, and concessions.
- Sparring Partner: Simulate counterpart and stress-test the script.
- Accountability: Define metrics and follow-ups.
🎯 Client’s Role
- Explorer: Provide data on the case and real objectives.
- Designer: Choose variables, criteria, and boundaries.
- Practitioner: Try questions, silences, and proposals.
- Observer: Track reactions, anchors, and signals.
- Decision-maker: Commit to an actionable plan.
❓ Question Bank by Round
🔥 Warm-up (Pick 1)
- “If this session were a success, what concrete outcome would you achieve in your next negotiation?”
- “What part is hardest for you: exploring, proposing, or closing?”
- “What would make you accept a worse deal than you should?”
- “What real negotiation do you have in the next 7–10 days?”
🧠 Diagnosis/Strategy (Pick 2–3)
- “What truly matters to the other side and how do you know?”
- “What’s your BATNA and the counterpart’s? How viable is it?”
- “What objective criteria can you use to legitimize your proposal?”
- “Beyond price, what variables could you negotiate (timelines, service, warranties, scope)?”
- “What conditional concession would you offer and what would you ask in return?”
🗣️ Exploration (Pick 2)
- “What would need to happen for this to be an easy yes for you?”
- “If we prioritize [criterion], what flexibility is there in [another variable]?”
- “What problem would this agreement solve in 6 months?”
- “Who else influences the decision and what do they need to see?”
⚖️ Proposal and Objections (Pick 2)
- “Based on [objective criterion], I propose [X]. If we adjust [Y], I can move [Z].”
- “If price is the barrier, what additional value would be meaningful for you?”
- “What condition would make this alternative acceptable to you?”
- “I understand the [X] objection. If we address [risk] with [mechanism], can we move forward?”
🚀 Closing (Pick 2)
- “What would still be pending for this to work for both sides?”
- “If we agree on [points], can we formalize next steps today?”
- “What decision would allow you to say yes right now?”
- “I propose an email summary with what we agreed and a timeline. Does that work?”
🎭 Coaching Modes for the Coach
🤝 Empathetic (Warm-up)
Behavior: Active listening, validate nerves, normalize objections.
Body language: Open, unhurried, intentional pauses.
Goal: Confidence and focus.
🔍 Analytical (Strategy)
Behavior: Break down variables, assess BATNA/ZOPA, prioritize.
Body language: Precise, structured, data-based.
Goal: Clarity and plan.
👔 Directive–Pragmatic (Role-play)
Behavior: Set pace, simulate pressure, ask for specifics.
Body language: Decisive, agreement-oriented.
Goal: Executable script.
🔥 Challenger (Closing)
Behavior: Raise the bar, anticipate tough scenarios.
Body language: Clear, respectful, firm.
Goal: Robust preparation and commitments.
📊 Feedback and Progress Framework
🎯 GROW + SBI (2–3 min per block)
Use after each role-play to refine strategy, language, and timing.
1. Goal (15–30 sec)
“What’s the specific objective of this part (explore interests / legitimize proposal / close)?”
2. Reality + SBI (45–60 sec)
“Situation: faced with the price objection… Behavior: you lowered the proposal without asking for anything… Impact: you lost margin and the anchor.”
3. Options (45 sec)
“What alternatives do you see? (objective criterion, package, conditional concession, silence)”
4. Will/Way Forward (45 sec)
“What will you do differently, when, and how will you measure it (e.g., ask for something in return for each concession)?”
✨ Indicators to Observe
- Framework: Speaks about interests and criteria, not just positions.
- Pacing: Uses pauses, doesn’t fill silences compulsively.
- Proposal: Packages with mutual value and a reasonable anchor.
- Concessions: Conditional and staged, never free.
- Objection handling: Listen, validate, reframe, and ask.
- Closing: Summarizes agreements and defines clear next steps.
📝 Scripts and Key Phrases
🎬 Opening
“To align expectations, I’d like to understand your key priorities and the criteria you’ll use to evaluate options. What would be a successful outcome for you?”
🔎 Exploration
“It’s important to me that this works for both sides. What main problem are you trying to solve with this agreement, and what constraints do we have?”
🎯 Proposal with criteria
“Based on [reference/benchmark] and to ensure [criterion], I propose [option A]. If we prioritize [variable], I can adjust [another] in exchange for [reciprocal concession].”
🧱 Objection handling
“Your point about [objection] makes sense. If we cover [risk] with [guarantee/condition], would that address your concern so we can move forward?”
✅ Closing and next steps
“If we agree on [points], I’ll prepare a summary today with milestones and owners. How about scheduling a review on [day] to formalize?”
🚨 Important Considerations
⚠️ Risk Management and Ethics
- Avoid undue pressure tactics: Prioritize transparency and objective criteria.
- Biases: Beware of extreme anchors and over-conceding to please.
- Power asymmetries: Strengthen BATNA, neutral third parties, and alternatives.
- Culture: Adjust style to cultural and industry norms.
🎯 Maximize Learning
- Visible preparation: Templates completed before negotiating.
- Rehearsals: Two short role-plays with objection variations.
- Negotiation journal: Three bullets after each conversation (what worked, what to improve, evidence).
- Language: Speak in terms of interests/criteria, not people.
✨ Variants by Client
- Internal negotiation (manager/team): Emphasis on criteria and process agreements.
- Client/Procurement: Value packages and handling aggressive anchors.
- Cross-cultural: Slower pace, more relationship before proposing.
- Remote/Asynchronous: Email scripts and precise summaries.
- Salary/Compensation: Benchmarks, bands, and total rewards.
🎯 Final Debrief Questions
For the client (individual reflection – 2 minutes):
- Which question opened up the most information and why?
- Where did you give away value without asking for something in return?
- What language or pacing adjustment will you make in the next conversation?
- What will be a “minimum acceptable yes,” and how will you measure it?
For coach–client discussion (6 minutes):
- “Define your anchor and target range. What will you do if pushed outside it?”
- “Faced with the main objection, what will be your reframe and reciprocal ask?”
- “What evidence will show you improved (e.g., you asked for something in return for each concession)?”
- “How will you summarize the agreement and next steps in writing?”
🔗 Connection with CareerRoadmap
💡 Post-Session Integration
Link learnings to the personal roadmap:
- Complete the BATNA/ZOPA template for the upcoming negotiation.
- Create a scorecard with variables and weights to evaluate options.
- Map stakeholders and prepare messages for each.
- Save the script for opening, proposal, and closing.
- Define metrics (number of open questions, reciprocal concessions, written closure).
- Schedule a checkpoint in 7 days to review results.
📋 Homework (7 days)
- Prepare a real negotiation using BATNA/ZOPA and a scorecard.
- Practice 10 exploratory questions and 2 objection reframes.
- Design 2 proposal packages with conditional concessions.
- Do 1 role-play with a colleague and request written feedback (SBI).
- Send 1 post-conversation summary email with agreements and a timeline.