Negotiation

Approach

Every negotiation will be different, because you are dealing with human emotions and any number of topics. However, there are some basic structural ideas that can help you with your approach. In general, you will want to follow a process somewhat like this:

1. Set your goals. What is the most important thing for you to get out of the negotiation? This can help you clarify your purpose so that you're not just trying to "win," rather you're actually trying to get something accomplished.
2. Prepare your case. Be sure that you know, and are able to explain, why you think your ideas have merit and should be considered.
3. Know your stuff. Take the time to look into the other people's ideas and see what kinds of pros and cons are involved. This step may help you realize that you both want the same thing. On the other hand, it might help you discover where the other ideas are lacking and yours really is superior (or vice versa).
4. Start simple. When negotiating, it can be helpful to start with the easiest topics first. This will get everyone into the spirit of cooperation and will keep tensions from mounting too early on in the process.
5. Keep your cool. Remember that your "adversaries" are not the enemy. They are people just like you who strongly believe in their ideas. Getting completely irate and irrational is not going to do anyone any good and will most likely make you look bad in the end.