Good morning. Your leverage in every negotiation starts with knowing and believing in your best alternative.
What's your best alternative if this deal, offer, or conversation doesn't go your way — and have you actually prepared it?
BATNA — Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement — was developed by Roger Fisher and William Ury in 'Getting to Yes' (1981) and remains the single most powerful concept in professional negotiation. Your BATNA is what you do if you walk away. It determines your real leverage — not your perceived leverage. A strong BATNA means you negotiate from confidence. A weak or absent BATNA means you'll accept almost anything to avoid the void. The mistake most professionals make isn't poor tactics in the room — it's that they never prepare their alternative before sitting down. When you don't have a clear alternative, the other side can always make walking away feel worse than accepting a bad deal.
- Define your BATNA before the conversation.
- Strengthen your BATNA before you sit down.
- Estimate their BATNA.
- Know your reservation price — and write it before you enter.
Write down your BATNA for one negotiation you have open, then take one step this week to make it stronger.
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