Negotiation

Keep your eyes on the speaker.
Take notes as appropriate.
Don’t allow yourself to think about anything but what the speaker is saying.
Resist the urge to formulate your response until after the speaker has finished.
Pay attention to the speaker’s body language.
Ask questions to get more information and to encourage the speaker to continue.
Repeat in your own words what you’ve heard to ensure that you understand and to let the speaker know that you’ve processed his or her words.
Continue your relationship-building efforts even after the negotiating has begun. Show empathy, respect, and courtesy throughout the proceedings. Always remember that the other side consists of human beings with feelings, limits, and vulnerabilities.
Refrain from personal attacks. Don’t accuse or blame. Maintain a sense of humor.
When an issue seems to make another negotiator tense, acknowledge the thorniness of the issue.
Don’t feel pressured to close a deal too quickly. Instead, generate options that offer mutual gain.

Any successful negotiation must have a fundamental framework based on knowing the following:

The alternative to negotiation

How flexible a party is willing to be, and what trade-offs it is willing to make

It is one’s preferred course of action in the absence of a deal.

Always know your BATNA before entering into any negotiation.

Fred hasn’t really done a thorough job of estimating the probability of winning in court, nor the size of a potential award.

Improve your BATNA.

The minimum threshold for a negotiated deal

different parties. New information can appear at various points, casting