How can you analyze and evaluate negotiations?

1 Identify your goals and criteria

Before you enter a negotiation, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure your success. Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Your criteria should reflect your priorities, preferences, and values, as well as the standards and norms of the situation. For example, you might consider the quality, quantity, price, timing, and relationship aspects of the deal. You should also identify your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), which is the most favorable option you have if the negotiation fails. Having a strong BATNA can increase your bargaining power and confidence.

2 Observe and record the process

During the negotiation, you should pay attention to the verbal and non-verbal cues, behaviors, tactics, and emotions of yourself and the other parties. You should also keep track of the offers, counteroffers, concessions, agreements, and disagreements that occur. You can use a variety of methods to observe and record the process, such as taking notes, using a checklist, recording the conversation, or asking for feedback. The more data you have, the easier it will be to analyze and evaluate the negotiation later.

3 Analyze the outcomes and gaps

After the negotiation, you should compare the actual outcomes with your goals and criteria, as well as with the outcomes of other possible scenarios. You should also identify the gaps between what you expected and what you achieved, and between what you and the other parties perceived and understood. You can use tools such as a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), a win-win matrix (satisfaction and value for each party), or a force field analysis (factors that helped or hindered the negotiation) to help you analyze the outcomes and gaps.

4 Evaluate the performance and feedback

Based on your analysis, you should evaluate your own and others' performance in terms of the skills, strategies, and behaviors that contributed to or detracted from the negotiation. You should also consider the feedback that you received or gave to the other parties, and how it affected the process and the relationship. You can use tools such as a performance appraisal (rating yourself and others on various criteria), a feedback sandwich (giving positive, negative, and positive feedback), or a 360-degree feedback (getting feedback from multiple sources) to help you evaluate the performance and feedback.

5 Learn and improve for the future

The final step of analyzing and evaluating a negotiation is to use the insights and lessons that you gained to improve your future negotiations. You should identify the strengths and weaknesses that you want to maintain or change, the opportunities and threats that you want to exploit or avoid, and the actions and plans that you want to implement or revise. You should also set new goals and criteria for your next negotiation, and monitor your progress and results. You can use tools such as a personal development plan (setting objectives, actions, and deadlines), a SMART action plan (using the SMART criteria to plan your actions), or a feedback loop (seeking and giving feedback regularly) to help you learn and improve for the future.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?