Leadership and Business Skills · tool 5 of 11
Negotiation
Negotiation: gets better agreements without damaging relationships.
Best for: Resources, scope, suppliers · Time: Preparation counts most
Domain: Across all domains · Focus area: Executing
How it works
Fisher and Ury’s principled negotiation focuses on interests rather than positions. Know your BATNA, your best alternative to a negotiated agreement, because it shows when to walk away.
- Ask why they want it.
- Offer options.
- Use objective criteria.
How to apply it
- Write your BATNA and theirs.
- List the interests on both sides.
- Propose several options.
- Confirm in writing.
In practice
A manager won’t release your engineer. Her interest is covering month-end. You offer the engineer outside that week.
Pro tip
Prepare twice as long as you’ll negotiate.
Use it
- Playbook: A stakeholder is blocking us
Quick check
What does BATNA stand for?
Sources
- R. Fisher, W. Ury and B. Patton, Getting to Yes
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 against the PMBOK® Guide, 8th edition · Practitioner review pending · How this guide is made