Why You Should Start Using Checklists for Your Negotiations
Most high-stakes professions rely on checklists: pilots, surgeons, the military — they all swear by them. Yet in commercial negotiations, most professionals still wing it. Why?
The benefits of checklists are well established. If you're sceptical, read The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande.
Here’s why checklists are your secret weapon in negotiations:
1. They Create Clarity
Negotiation is a juggling act: people, data, incentives, egos — all in real time. A checklist forces clarity. It helps you stay on top of everything before the pressure is on, so you can execute calmly and confidently.
2. They Guard Against Emotion
When the stakes rise, so do emotions. Frustration, fatigue, and ego creep in. A checklist keeps you grounded. It acts as your pre-committed strategy — your best thinking, done before the heat of the moment.
3. They Institutionalise Learning
Negotiation is iterative. A post-mortem checklist allows you to review what worked, what didn’t, and what to tweak for next time. Over time, this kind of structured reflection leads to real improvement.
4. They Enhance Collaboration
If you negotiate as part of a team, checklists help create alignment and ensure everyone pulls in the same direction.
Your Negotiation Checklist
Here are some of the items found on my checklist. I use it before and after each negotiation. I think of it as my co-pilot, keeping me structured and helping me improve, negotiation by negotiation.
What’s most important is that you build your own checklist to ensure it addresses the points that matter to you personally.
1. Before the Negotiation
What has your party got to gain and lose by coming to an agreement or failing to do so?
What has the other party got to gain and lose by coming to an agreement or failing to do so?
Visualise what a good deal would look like.
Prepare, provision by provision, setting out preferred outcomes, your arguments, and likely challenges.
Anchor appropriately to allow for concessions (see Anchoring: Should I ask for the moon or be reasonable!?).
Circulate an agenda or an issues list.
Brief stakeholders on the objectives of the meeting.
2. During the Negotiation
Start with a friendly exchange.
Agree on the objectives and address housekeeping (e.g., document management, timelines, etc.).
Offer sincere praise where appropriate.
Acknowledge views and feelings.
Listen actively.
Elicit more information by asking ‘why’.
Address bad behaviour (see How to Deal with Hostile Negotiators).
Share your accusation audit (defuse tension by acknowledging your failures).
Move from small commitments to concessions (see The commitment to concession protocol).
Agree on who does what after the negotiation ends (e.g., who updates the draft, etc.).
3. After the Negotiation
Circulate a summary of agreed-upon points and open items after the negotiation.
Final Thoughts
Great negotiators don’t wing it — they use a process. Think like a pilot: no matter how many hours you’ve logged, you still run the checklist. Make it yours, share it, and start using it in your next negotiation.
If pilots flew planes the way most people negotiate deals, we’d all be walking.