If preparation is vital before any negotiation, then reviewing the negotiation once it has ended is equally important. The definition of negotiation again provides a simple framework for such a self-reflection. Integral to the answer to each question is another question: ‘how could we do this better next time?’

To strengthen the review it would be helpful to compare your answers to these questions after the negotiation with your answers to the preparation questions (in Appendix 1). It would also help to compare your reflections on different negotiations; some instructive patterns may emerge.

Two parties:

how well did we understand the other negotiators?

did the structure of the negotiation ‘work’?

With differences:

how well did we get to understand the extent of what were the critical differences which needed to be addressed?

Which they need to resolve:

did we overestimate the quality of our walk-away alternative?

Trying to reach agreement:

what were the critical incidents in how the negotiations were handled?

did they trust us?

did we trust them?

when was there a sense of us working together rather than working against?

if so, when and how did that develop?

Through exploring options:

how well did we manage the process of developing some creative solutions?

And exchanging offers:

how well was the closing tension managed?

And an agreement:

how does the final agreement compare with what we said we really wanted from these negotiations?

has this agreement made any forthcoming negotiations easier?

Action commitment:

What am I now going to do differently when I next negotiate?