A term used to describe the nature of the “prisoner’s dilemma” in game theory. It is used to highlight the competitive tension between the subjects involved. (Howard Raiffa, The Art and Science of Negotiation [Harvard University Press, 1982], 347) … Read More 

A framework for understanding and analyzing negotiation. The seven elements include interests, legitimacy, relationships, alternatives, options, commitments, and communication. A seven-elements approach can be particularly helpful during pre-negotiation preparation. (Michael L. Moffitt and Robert C. Bordone, eds., The Handbook of Dispute Resolution [Program on Negotiation/Jossey-Bass, 2005], 280) … Read More 

The notion that all difficult conversations carry a common underlying structure that can be divided into three distinguishable categories or “conversations”; 1) The “What Happened?” Conversation, 2) the Feelings Conversation, 3) and the Identity Conversation. (Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations [Viking/Penguin, 1999], 4, 7) … Read More 

Zone of Possible Agreement: The bargaining range created by the two reservation values. The ZOPA defines a “surplus” that must be divided between the parties. (Robert H. Mnookin, Scott R. Peppet and Andrew S. Tulumello, Beyond Winning [Belknap Press, 2004], 19) … Read More 

The tendency to view a negotiation as purely distributive; what one side wins, the other side loses. (Robert H. Mnookin, Scott R. Peppet and Andrew S. Tulumello, Beyond Winning [Belknap Press, 2004], 168) … Read More 

The part of a “difficult conversation” that addresses disagreements about what has happened or what should happen, who’s right and who’s wrong. (Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen, Difficult Conversations [Viking/Penguin, 1999], 7) … Read More 

Worst Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement: In a negotiation, your WATNA represents one of several paths that you can follow if a resolution cannot be reached. Like its BATNA counterpart, understanding your WATNA is one alternative you can use to compare against your other options along alternative paths in order to make more informed decisions … Read More 

Actions away from the negotiating table that shape and reshape the situation to a negotiator’s advantage. Changes in setup may include approaching the right parties to participate in the negotiation, setting the right expectations, or dealing with the right issues that engage the right set of interests. (David A. Lax and James K. Sebenius, 3-D … Read More 

A conflict is said to be “ripe” for settlement or negotiation when it has reached a stalemate, or when all of the parties have determined that their alternatives to negotiation will not get them what they want or need. In this case, they are likely to be ready to negotiate a settlement that will attain … Read More 

Translation of BATNA into a value at the table – the amount at which you are indifferent between reaching a deal and walking away to your BATNA. (Robert H. Mnookin, Scott R. Peppet and Andrew S. Tulumello, Beyond Winning [Belknap Press, 2004], 19) … Read More