Use this model to frame and inform your negotiation strategy.
Best Alternative to a Negotia ... Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Est, ut dicis, inquit; At miser, si in flagitiosa et vitiosa vita afflueret voluptatibus. Quod quidem iam fit etiam in Academia. Sin aliud quid voles, postea. Dic in quovis conventu te omnia facere, ne doleas. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Eaedem enim utilitates poterunt eas labefactare atque pervertere. Te ipsum, dignissimum maioribus tuis, voluptasne induxit, ut adolescentulus eriperes P. Nunc ita separantur, ut disiuncta sint, quo nihil potest esse perversius. Callipho ad virtutem nihil adiunxit nisi voluptatem, Diodorus vacuitatem doloris. Etenim nec iustitia nec amicitia esse omnino poterunt, nisi ipsae per se expetuntur. Iam id ipsum absurdum, maximum malum neglegi. Commentarios quosdam, inquam, Aristotelios, quos hic sciebam esse, veni ut auferrem, quos legerem, dum essem otiosus; Suam denique cuique naturam esse ad vivendum ducem. Addebat etiam se in legem Voconiam iuratum contra eam facere non audere, nisi aliter amicis videretur. Item de contrariis, a quibus ad genera formasque generum venerunt. Nemo nostrum istius generis asotos iucunde putat vivere. Nam aliquando posse recte fieri dicunt nulla expectata nec quaesita voluptate. Immo alio genere; Vitiosum est enim in dividendo partem in genere numerare. Si stante, hoc natura videlicet vult, salvam esse se, quod concedimus;
- Know your exact BATNA.
Create a list of actions you can take if no agreement is reached and choose the m ...
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut optime, secundum naturam affectum esse possit. Sed venio ad inconstantiae crimen, ne saepius dicas me aberrare; Perturbationes autem nulla naturae vi commoventur, omniaque ea sunt opiniones ac iudicia levitatis. Bork Bestiarum vero nullum iudicium puto. Iis igitur est difficilius satis facere, qui se Latina scripta dicunt contemnere. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Iam id ipsum absurdum, maximum malum neglegi. Rationis enim perfectio est virtus; Incommoda autem et commoda-ita enim estmata et dustmata appello-communia esse voluerunt, paria noluerunt. Primum quid tu dicis breve?
Teneo, inquit, finem illi videri nihil dolere. Cetera illa adhibebat, quibus demptis negat se Epicurus intellegere quid sit bonum. Potius inflammat, ut coercendi magis quam dedocendi esse videantur. An ea, quae per vinitorem antea consequebatur, per se ipsa curabit? Mihi quidem Antiochum, quem audis, satis belle videris attendere. Quid enim est a Chrysippo praetermissum in Stoicis? Hanc ergo intuens debet institutum illud quasi signum absolvere. Idque testamento cavebit is, qui nobis quasi oraculum ediderit nihil post mortem ad nos pertinere?
Theophrasti igitur, inquit, tibi liber ille placet de beata vita? Dempta enim aeternitate nihilo beatior Iuppiter quam Epicurus; Zenonis est, inquam, hoc Stoici. Aliter homines, aliter philosophos loqui putas oportere?
Your BATNA's strength can easily be affected by unexpected changes in conditions. At the same time, determining BATNAs for you and your counterparty is difficult due to subjectivity, as we have a tendency to overestimate the strength of our BATNA and to underestimate the strength of the other side's BATNA.
Other factors influencing BATNA, like relationship value and the likelihood of the other party maintaining their side of the bargain are also difficult to value and measure in a quantifiable manner.
Finally, using BATNA as a mental model to assist in negotiations should not be counterposed to developing rapport, active listening and other methods to connect and find potential win-win options.
The Brexit BATNA.
In August 2018 British Prime Minister Theresa May revealed a plan of contingency for exiting the European Union (E.U.) if the so-called Brexit negotiations ended in an impasse, revealing the Government’s BATNA to quell the public’s fears.
Salary negotiation.
In a salary negotiation, the employee might have a basic BATNA of their current salary, assuming that the negotiation will not end with them losing their job. They might increase this by applying for an alternative position with a higher salary, which will become their new BATNA. In such a case, it is not a like for like comparison so the BATNA might become difficult to assess. For the company, they must consider the cost of losing the staff member if they do not meet their expectations. Again this cost is hard to measure.
BATNA is a fundamental mental model in negotiation theory.
Use the following examples of connected and complementary models to weave BATNA into your broader latticework of mental models. Alternatively, discover your own connections by exploring the category list above.
Connected models:
- WATNA: the worst alternative to a negotiated agreement is the other side of this equation.
- Opportunity cost: BATNA is essentially the same as opportunity cost, applied to the specific purpose of negotiations.
Complementary models:
- Porter's five forces: particularly as it relates to the bargaining power of suppliers.
- Non-violent communication: challenges this model in attempting to find a win-win alternative.
- Cialidini’s six principles of persuasion: a powerful option used in conjunction with any negotiation process.
- Mutually assured destruction: where the BATNAs result in disaster for both parties, negotiation becomes an imperative.
- Cost-benefit analysis: in considering BATNA.
- Sunk cost fallacy: to support walking away from a protracted, even expensive negotiation.
BATNA was created by negotiation researchers Roger Fisher and William Ury of the Harvard Program on Negotiation and presented in their fundamental 1981 book Getting to Yes: Negotiating Without Giving In.
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