Harvard Principles of Negotiation for fact-based negotiations & robust agreements

The Harvard Principles of Negotiation (also known as "win-win negotiation") can be useful whenever it is important to negotiate effectively and find criteria-based, robust agreements that are supported by everyone. The method focuses on "cooperation instead of competition", on creating and exploring a wider range of possibilities and potential solutions, as well as on maintaining or strengthening workplace relations.

It is important to follow four rules and adhere to the planned procedure. It can be helpful to have the negotiation moderated by a specialist.

1. Separate the factual level from the relationship level:
   • What is at stake? What is the common framework, the common task, the common goal?
2. Working out the actual concerns and needs* behind the positions and demands:
   • What exactly is important to the respective parties and why?
3. Develop various options and alternatives for the solution:
   • Open brainstorming, without judgement and without prejudice
4. Selection of suitable option(s) based on objective criteria:
   • Fairness and win-win as guiding principles

* Concerns and needs are e.g.: Comprehensibility, plausibility, possibilities for shaping, belonging, recognition, meaningfulness, understanding, trust, clarity, support, being heard and seen, …

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