Save to My Latticework unsave

BATNA & ZOPA
BATNA & ZOPA
BATNA & ZOPA
save0 saved view10.9K views
Share this with your network
Share this with your network
Overview

Use this model to frame and inform your negotiation strategy. 

Best Alternative to a Negotia ...

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Non pugnem cum homine, cur tantum habeat in natura boni; Consequentia exquirere, quoad sit id, quod volumus, effectum. Bork Maximus dolor, inquit, brevis est. Vos autem cum perspicuis dubia debeatis illustrare, dubiis perspicua conamini tollere. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Cupit enim dícere nihil posse ad beatam vitam deesse sapienti. Quis istud possit, inquit, negare?

Quae quo sunt excelsiores, eo dant clariora indicia naturae. Hoc est non dividere, sed frangere. Universa enim illorum ratione cum tota vestra confligendum puto. Longum est enim ad omnia respondere, quae a te dicta sunt. Quo modo autem philosophus loquitur? Quare obscurentur etiam haec, quae secundum naturam esse dicimus, in vita beata; Quarum ambarum rerum cum medicinam pollicetur, luxuriae licentiam pollicetur. Quis enim confidit semper sibi illud stabile et firmum permansurum, quod fragile et caducum sit?

Quid enim est a Chrysippo praetermissum in Stoicis? Minime id quidem, inquam, alienum, multumque ad ea, quae quaerimus, explicatio tua ista profecerit. Pisone in eo gymnasio, quod Ptolomaeum vocatur, unaque nobiscum Q. Non enim iam stirpis bonum quaeret, sed animalis. Hoc enim constituto in philosophia constituta sunt omnia. Quia dolori non voluptas contraria est, sed doloris privatio. Quasi ego id curem, quid ille aiat aut neget. Sed quot homines, tot sententiae; Non est enim vitium in oratione solum, sed etiam in moribus. Idemne, quod iucunde?

Share this model with your network to be smarter, faster, together!
Actionable Takeaways
  • 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. At hoc in eo M. Non igitur potestis voluptate omnia dirigentes aut tueri aut retinere virtutem. Haec bene dicuntur, nec ego repugno, sed inter sese ipsa pugnant. Te ipsum, dignissimum maioribus tuis, voluptasne induxit, ut adolescentulus eriperes P. Hanc ergo intuens debet institutum illud quasi signum absolvere. Dolor ergo, id est summum malum, metuetur semper, etiamsi non aderit;

Modo etiam paulum ad dexteram de via declinavi, ut ad Pericli sepulcrum accederem. Quid turpius quam sapientis vitam ex insipientium sermone pendere? Polycratem Samium felicem appellabant. Urgent tamen et nihil remittunt. Sine ea igitur iucunde negat posse se vivere? Teneo, inquit, finem illi videri nihil dolere.

Illi enim inter se dissentiunt. Duo Reges: constructio interrete. Ea possunt paria non esse. Illum mallem levares, quo optimum atque humanissimum virum, Cn. Semper enim ita adsumit aliquid, ut ea, quae prima dederit, non deserat. Quid enim? At ille pellit, qui permulcet sensum voluptate. Nec hoc ille non vidit, sed verborum magnificentia est et gloria delectatus. Nummus in Croesi divitiis obscuratur, pars est tamen divitiarum. Dicet pro me ipsa virtus nec dubitabit isti vestro beato M.

Explore More
BATNA & ZOPA is featured in these playbooks:
Limitations

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. 

In Practice

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.

Build your latticework
This model will help you to:

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. 
Origins & Resources

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.

My Notes

    Nothing here yet. Join ModelThinkers and login to be the first to comment.
Already a ModelThinkers member? Please log in here.

Oops, That’s Members’ Only!

Fortunately, it only costs US$5/month to Join ModelThinkers and access everything so that you can rapidly discover, learn, and apply the world’s most powerful ideas.

ModelThinkers membership at a glance:

Small mark
UNLOCK EVERYTHING
Access all mental models and premium content.
Small mark
BUILD YOUR LATTICEWORK
Save models to your personal list.
Small mark
QUICKLY MEMORISE MODELS
Use our Learn function to embed models to memory
Small mark
PERSONALISE MODELS
Add your own notes and reminders.
Small mark
BUILD YOUR ‘EXTERNAL BRAIN’
Discover a new idea? Capture it by adding a new model.
Small mark
JOIN THE MT COMMUNITY
Rate models, comment and access exclusive events.

“Yeah, we hate pop ups too. But we wanted to let you know that, with ModelThinkers, we’re making it easier for you to adapt, innovate and create value. We hope you’ll join us and the growing community of ModelThinkers today.”

Arun Pradhan & Shai Desai
CoFounders, ModelThinkers.

You Might Also Like:

- Actionable summaries of the world's most powerful ideas.