Coaching practices for Meso Negotiation

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

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

  • There are several things on the table here, and some matter way more to me than others
  • I can’t get a read on what the other side actually cares about most
  • The deal is closed and fine, but I keep negotiating in the dark
  • 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’re completely deadlocked on the one number

Practices that may help

  1. Logroll by trading issues of unequal importance
    Concede on what matters less to you in exchange for gains on what matters more.
    Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
  2. 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
  3. 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
  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. Expanding the Pie: Negotiation Beyond Splitting the Difference
    Expanding the pie means trading across issues that the two parties value differently, so both sides gain more than any fixed compromise would allow. Malhotra and Bazerman’s research shows that most negotiators leave joint gains on the table because they treat every issue as a zero-sum battle.
  6. Expand the ZOPA by adding issues to the negotiation
    When you’re stuck on a single issue, adding more issues often creates room for trades that satisfy both sides.
    ZOPA: The Zone of Possible Agreement
  7. Use the Ackerman bid sequence: 65%–85%–95%–100% of target
    Make four calculated offers that converge on your target with shrinking steps — each concession signals you are approaching your limit.
    The Ackerman Method, Made Practical
  8. 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
  9. Trade across issues where each side has different priorities
    Give the counterpart what they care most about; get what you care most about — logrolling is only possible when interests differ.
    Interests vs. Positions: The Core of Integrative Negotiation
  10. Trade across differing priorities
    Give on what you value less to get what you value more — and have them do the same.
    Win-Win Thinking: Expanding the Pie

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