This post is the first in an eight part series focusing on negotiation preparation.
What makes someone an expert negotiator? Is it their charm, eloquence, persuasiveness, or clever maneuvers that help them sway the other side? These characteristics can undoubtedly help in the process, but the foundation for a winning negotiation is proper preparation.
Unfortunately, systematic planning is not something that many do naturally. Most of us would rather rush to seek a solution and deal with the issue “head-on”, instead of taking the time to 
plan out our strategy. Even if we do set aside the time to plan, our process is often inadequate and our weaknesses can rear their ugly heads at the worst of times. Consider the following questions to assess your preparedness for the next negotiation you encounter:
Do You Really Know What You Want? Many negotiators do not set clear objectives of what they want out of the negotiation. If the other side offered you a slightly different package than the one you were planning to accept, would you know what to do? You may have overlooked other possibilities for acceptable outcomes of the negotiation because you were narrowly focused. When the other party rearranges their offer you are unable to adequately evaluate the positives and negatives, because you were simply not prepared to consider them.
Have You Done Your Research? Without research you will be unable to identify your own strengths and weaknesses and those of the other party. Without this prior knowledge, you will be flying by the seat of your pants to rebut their argument and support yours.
Are You Depending on Your Charm and Cleverness Alone? These traits will not be helpful if the other side has done their homework and is prepared to wear you down by delaying, or otherwise holding firm on their position. If the other side claims that what you are proposing is illegal or inefficient, these characteristics may even have the opposite of the intended effect.
In this series on negotiation preparation over the next couple of weeks, we will walk you through how to tackle your next negotiation by following these steps: Define Issues and Interest, Consulting with Others, Identifying Your BATNA, Goal Setting, Supporting Your Argument, Analyzing the Other Party, Putting it all Together.
Thanks for sharing this motivation, very useful !