Heed the Hierarchy.
Wayne Outten, when thinking about strategies for negotiating on behalf of employees, considers where those employees stand within the framework of their employer. Do they have political allies, “Rabbis,” people willing to go to bat for them? Do they have “political capital,” credibility with certain supervisors or others in management? Have they earned loyalty; would harm to the employee engender a sense of guilt?
Conversely, knowing where the opposing negotiator fits can be helpful. Is he or she trying to cover for their own mistake? Is he responsible for the P&L that is affected by this deal or litigation? Who in the chain of authority must be brought in to achieve closure? Is the negotiator at a level where he or she is trying to impress a superior, or trying to prove a point to a subordinate?