¿Cuáles son las estrategias de negociación efectivas para los patrocinadores que no cumplen con sus obligaciones?

Preparing a negotiating strategy starts with identifying your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA). Your BATNA establishes paths forward to proceed without your partner. You might identify a new source that can replace the unreliable one. You might identify how you can no longer need their particular component. You might even identify how you could make the component yourself! Then, when you go to the negotiating table, you have options. You can walk away from the partnership knowing you have another way forward. Or you can choose to stay on terms acceptable for your business. No matter the outcome, identifying your BATNA is the most critical step to preparing your negotiating strategy.

When sponsors are not forthcoming with their commitments a good approach would be to draw attention to the commitments and the negative implications of reneging on the promises. Another thing to do is to come up with possible options for solving identified challenges of the sponsors. A more pragmatic approach is the option of co-sponsorship where the burden may be spread or shared by others with the original sponsors. This option will naturally be rebuffed but with effective communication skills and forecasting, the option may save the day. The project is delivered on time and accolades are shared.

What’s a leader's role in negotiation? Twofold. First, drive your team to identify a strong negotiating position. Don’t approach a negotiation thinking, “I always seal the deal!” This attitude isn’t helpful. The point of negotiation isn’t to “seal the deal.” The point is to improve your organization. Drive your team. Innovate. Think outside the box. Be relentless. Then negotiate. Your second role in negotiation is to identify what’s an acceptable, and what’s not an acceptable, agreement. If you fail to communicate what is acceptable to your team, you will sometimes end up agreeing to something you didn’t really want. Prepare your team with clear expectations. Communicate. Train and educate them!