BOOK Summary: Win-Win Career Negotiations

by Peter J. Goodman, published in 2001

10 Points for the W2W Community from Win-Win Career Negotiations

1. The basic skills of negotiations remain the same regardless of the negotiation’s context – listening, communication, self-control and focus.

2. Practice your body language - it should convey confidence and security.

3. Four key areas of negotiation (originally from the book – Getting to Yes by Fisher, Ury and Patton):
   • Separate the people from the problem
   • Focus on interests, not positions
   • Invent options for mutual gain
   • Insist on using objective criteria

4. “Separate the People from the Problem” – remove the emotions that are loaded in how arguments and by whom they are presented.

5. “Focus on Interests, Not Positions” – interests are things we want to get, and positions are the stances we take to pursue our interests. Focus on interests, not positions.

6. “Invent Options for Mutual Gain” – think of multiple ways to achieve your interests.

7. “Insist on Using Objective Criteria” – base your requests on credible third-party sources.

8. Structure the discussion of your needs in terms beneficial to the company – e.g. “I want to be 100% focused on the job while I am here, in order to do that I will need high quality daycare for which I will need ___ additional.”

9. Prepare a BATNA (Best Alternative To the Negotiated Position) prior to the negotiation. The BATNA is both a point of reference for you and a negotiation tool.

10. Be prepared to walk away. If you can’t walk away, you are at a disadvantage before even starting.