Negotiation basics

BATNA — Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement

Coined in Fisher & Ury's Getting to Yes. Your BATNA is what you'll do if this negotiation fails. A strong BATNA gives you walk-away power; a weak BATNA forces concessions. Before any negotiation: name your BATNA out loud to yourself, then check whether you can improve it before the conversation.

ZOPA — Zone of Possible Agreement

The overlap between what you'll accept and what they'll accept. If your minimum is $80K and theirs is $90K, ZOPA is $80–90K. If your minimum is $80K and theirs is $60K, no ZOPA — no deal possible. Understanding ZOPA tells you whether to keep negotiating or walk.

Anchoring

The first number stated influences everything that follows. Common advice: anchor first, anchor high (or low, depending on which side you're on). Counter-advice: when you have weak information, make them anchor first. The decision turns on confidence in your data.

↳ in the wild

The PM negotiating scope with eng often anchors badly: "We need everything." Now eng's anchor is the full list, and the negotiation is about what to cut. Better anchor: "The non-negotiables are A, B, C — let's talk about what else is feasible." The trade-off conversation starts from the right place.

Negotiation basics.

BATNA — Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement

ZOPA — Zone of Possible Agreement

Anchoring

Sources cited