The One Minute Negotiator Handy Glossary

Accommodation A negotiation strategy based on carefully meeting the demands of the other party due to one’s own weaker power position (high cooperation/reactive).

Activation One’s tendency to be either proactive or reactive in the engagement process.

Analytical An interaction style that is slow paced and task focused. People who have this style as dominant tend to pursue a negotiation strategy based on data collection and, frequently an avoidance of a decision in public.

Amiable An interaction style that is slow paced and people focused. People with this style as dominant tend to use an accommodation negotiation strategy as they attempt to make everyone happy.

Avoidance A negotiation strategy based on not discussing negotiation issues in the hope that they will somehow get better or simply go away (low cooperation/reactive).

Bargaining Chip Issues Factors in a negotiation that are not particularly important for the side in question. A negotiator can make concessions on these issues without significant consequences. Movement on bargaining chip issues should take place in order to get assistance with blue chip issues. Note that it should never be implied that such chips are throw away or give away factors.

Blue Chip Issues Aspects of a negotiation that are very important to the side in question. While a person can make concessions on these issues, such a movement will adversely impact the outcome from any negotiated agreement for them.

Collaboration The most advanced of all the negotiation strategies, based on learning all parties’ needs to craft a win-win-win outcome (high cooperation/proactive).

Competition A negotiation strategy focused on getting one’s own needs and positions addressed. It is a fixed-sum game/win-lose approach where the only way you can get something is for the other party to give something up (low cooperation/proactive).

Compromise A negotiation tactic based on seeking an agreement by splitting the difference between two parties’ positions. It should only be used late in a negotiation, with a small gap in positions, over a single issue, where the offer is tied to an immediate agreement.

Concession A reduction in one’s own position on any negotiation issue in an effort to close the gap between the position levels of the various parties. It should only be given if something is received in return. A unilateral concession is, in reality, an accommodation.

Cooperation A willingness to work with the other party in an effort to reach an agreement that includes a consideration of that other party’s needs.

Countering tactics Defensive competitive negotiation tactics designed to mitigate the impact of offensive tactics by the other side. These tactics are deployed in a reactive fashion to minimize any concessions that must be made as a result of the other side’s offensive tactic.

Defensive tactics Tactics that are used to protect one’s positions and minimize concessions in a competitive negotiation.

Discovery meeting A session in a collaborative negotiation focused on getting the needs of all sides on the table. Positions and solution proposals should not be discussed in such a meeting.

Driver An interaction style that is fast paced and task focused. People who have this style as dominant tend to pursue a negotiation strategy based on competition to start, but they can be motivated to collaborate if they find it is in their best interests to do so. Expressive An interaction style that is fast paced and people focused. Individuals who have this style as dominant tend to pursue a negotiation strategy based on collaboration.

Fortifying tactics Competitive negotiation tactics that are deployed proactively to protect positions and reduce the need to make concessions.

Negotiaphobia A widespread fear of negotiating caused by two things: a desire to avoid conflict, and a lack of skill; the symptoms are manifested two ways: one is the failure to recognize negotiation opportunities, and the other is the inability to adjust one’s negotiation strategy to match the situation at hand. We call the individuals suffering from this epidemic negotiaphobes.

Negotiation The ongoing process through which two or more parties, whose initial positions are not necessarily consistent, work in an effort to reach an agreement.

Non-negotiables Issues in a negotiation where movement is not possible. These issues should be few in number and clearly stated as not open to negotiation. From that point a negotiator should demonstrate no willingness to even discuss these issues.

Offensive tactics Actions taken by a negotiator in a competitive negotiation that are designed to stimulate accommodations or concessions from the other side.

Opening Ceremonies The start of the meeting that sets the tone for a collaborative or competitive approach. It ends with the introduction of the agenda.

Problem-solving environment An approach to information sharing between parties to a negotiation that puts the emphasis on disclosing and meeting needs with solutions that are jointly developed.

Relational Objectives Outcomes that one is seeking in a negotiation that advance the process of collaboration between the parties. Such objectives are not appropriate for a purely competitive meeting.

Solution Meeting A negotiation session that focuses on confirming needs, identifying the ability of the present solution to meet those needs, introduces new options, discussing those options, and then laying out an action plan going forward.

Transactional Objectives Outcomes that one is seeking to advance the quality of the deal that is presently being negotiated. These targets are more short-term in nature than relational objectives, and are appropriate for use with all negotiation strategies.