BATNA - Fall-back situations

It would be naïve to suggest that by applying all the advice given in this chapter you will float smoothly through all negotiations and emerge joyful and triumphant at the end. There may be times when your opposing negotiator has also read this book and will be equally prepared, with clear objectives, producing a convincing argument as to his/her interests!

When this situation arises, and it is not possible to move the negotiations forward however much you both wish to achieve a solution, you will need to have your BATNA already worked out and ready to bring forward. (It should be noted that this situation often occurs when you are in the position of having to reach an agreement, and your partner is aware of that.)

BATNA is your 'Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement' (Fisher and Urg, 1981, Getting to Yes, Hutchinson) and its existence will probably allow you to continue to negotiate with some flexibility:

• By knowing what the best alternative is to being unable to agree on your prime interest

• By assessing the value of your BATNA in relation to the best offer available

• By comparing the two continually.

This process should prevent you from accepting what you should reject, or rejecting what you should accept.

Whether you are negotiating on a BATNA or against a 'bottom line' you should always remain open-minded about possible solutions and fully aware of the consequences of those proposed, or indeed the consequences of failing to reach an agreement. You do not have to agree, and it may be that the correct thing to do is to 'fail to agree' if that is more acceptable than the best offer presented to you.

It follows that it makes good sense to try to find out what your partner's BATNA might be, as accurately as possible, since it may be more acceptable to you to move in that direction than to have to fall back to your own BATNA position.