Coaching practices for Identifying Deal Gaps

Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Identifying Deal Gaps, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.

Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?

• The deal is closed and fine, but I keep negotiating in the dark
• We’ve been going back and forth for a while and I’m starting to suspect there was never any real overlap to begin with
• I can’t get a read on what the other side actually cares about most
• We’ve just shaken hands on something we both accepted, but I have this nagging sense the deal isn’t as good as it could be for either of us
• We finally reached a deal, but I have this nagging sense we both grabbed the first version that worked just to be done

Practices that may help

1. Run a negotiation debrief to learn what value was left on the table
   After closing, compare priorities with the other side to see the trades you both missed.
   Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
2. Test whether a ZOPA exists before investing further
   When you suspect there may be no overlap, surface the zone gap early rather than investing time in an impossible deal.
   ZOPA: The Zone of Possible Agreement
3. Make multiple equivalent simultaneous offers (MESOs)
   Propose several package deals of equal value to you — see which the other side prefers.
   Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
4. Propose a post-settlement settlement to optimize an agreed deal
   After reaching a deal, offer to see if you can both do better — many agreements leave joint value on the table.
   ZOPA: The Zone of Possible Agreement
5. Use a post-settlement settlement to improve a deal after agreement
   Once you have a deal, offer to keep exploring whether a better one exists for both sides.
   Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
6. Share information to unlock value
   Reveal interests (not your bottom line) so both sides can find the better deal.
   Win-Win Thinking: Expanding the Pie
7. Probe for interests, not positions
   Ask why the other side wants what they say they want before responding to what they say.
   Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
8. Knowledge-boundary identification
   Map the exact point where your understanding runs out rather than treating it as a vague area of weakness.
   Illusion of Explanatory Depth: You Know Less Than You Think
9. Map the likely ZOPA before the first session
   Estimate both your own and the counterpart’s reservation points before you open, so you know what deal space exists.
   ZOPA: The Zone of Possible Agreement
10. Ask what happens if there is no deal
    Surface the other side’s BATNA by asking what they do if this does not work out.
    Calibrated Questions, Made Practical

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