Principle
Keep several issues alive long enough to trade
Closing the easy term early can spend the currency you needed for the hard term later.
When it fits
- A multi-issue negotiation is being settled one term at a time.
When to avoid it
- Some terms must be resolved first because they are gating legal, technical or authority constraints.
Why it matters
Put the material issues on the table before locking them separately. This preserves the ability to exchange movement across price, timing, scope, risk, support, location or other terms that the parties value differently. You can still organize the discussion, but avoid accidental finality that destroys useful combinations.
An example
Do not finalize rate before seeing whether contract length, payment timing and scope can create a better package.
Check your result
At least two issues can still be combined when the discussion reaches the hardest tradeoff.
Keep this limit in mind
- Some terms must be resolved first because they are gating legal, technical or authority constraints.
Connected ideas
Useful withTrade on differences instead of splitting every issue
Evidence and sources
Program on Negotiation guidance recommends making room to discuss multiple issues simultaneously because separate early settlements can remove later tradeoff opportunities.
Some issues must be sequenced for legal, technical or governance reasons; the card concerns preserving useful tradeoffs where possible.
Value Creation in Negotiation: Capitalize on Multiple Issues · Beware of sequencing plans