Topic 75
Negotiation in the Final Stages
Topic 75 explores the typical events experienced during the final stages of a negotiation and how to prepare for them. This is when lobbed offers and counteroffers start to fly.
THE LOBBED OFFER STAGE
- Often, in the final stages, when each side has tested the other side and the offers are fairly close yet a reasonable gap still exists, one side or the other will put the negotiation into a “lob stage,” where a round number is put on the table.
- The logic of the risk assessments positioning, valuations, and negotiated conditions will be abandoned and a final, “this-is-what-we-can-live-with” offer will be presented.
- Intuitive instinct will be critical in this stage.
- The “lobbor.” The first to act must be ready, as must the “lobbee,” the second to act response.
- The “final” lobbed offer is not the final one! It is a test to see how much the other side wants it.
- Do not accept it. You will do better!
- The lobbee must step back and be ready to toss out one or more counteroffers designed to test the lobbor—how much does that party want it?
- Counteroffers and responses must show movement toward the other side, but not too much.
- Show movement by conditional acceptance of some or part of the offer if the other party can meet one or more conditions of the counteroffer.
- Show movement by improving on the position that resulted from the previously presented logic and valuations; do it slowly, however.
- Movement must show you want it, not how much you want ...
