The Kahvay Negotiation Planning Canvas
The Kahvay Negotiation Planning Canvas is not just a tool, but a strategic necessity for anyone serious about mastering the art of negotiation.
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Issue No. 77 (10th May 2024).
Thought of The Week
The Kahvay Negotiation Planning Canvas
Hey there Walkawayers!
Planning your holidays? We are.
The chaos of picking a destination, arguing over sea or lake, beach chill or activities and that's before we start hunting down the best villa with a large enough pool for three very active teenagers, all so we can make the most of our time away.
I’m certain you all do the same. In different degrees and yes, with different needs but still you put a lot of energy into the planning.
Now, imagine channelling that same energy into your negotiations.
Stick with me here, guys. (If you can’t then just read the conclusion below and if it interests you or you feel there is more value to be had then feel free to read on… because its a long one today)
The Conclusion
The Kahvay Negotiation Canvas is not just a tool, but a strategic necessity for anyone serious about mastering the art of negotiation.
Employing the Canvas ensures that your negotiation process is thorough, controlled, and ultimately successful.
By setting a clear Commander's Intent, defining SMART objectives, understanding and preparing for constraints, and aligning with your business's core drivers, you are better placed to reach an agreement and remain aligned to your long-term business goals.
Remember, effective negotiation is not about tactics and haggling; it's about preparation, strategic thinking, and understanding both your position and that of your counterpart.
So, before you start on your own canvas, consider completing the canvas on behalf of your counterpart.
Why Plan?
You see, planning your negotiation is not just about having a bunch of post-its on a board (though who doesn't love a good yellow sticky exercise?).
It's about creating a map of where you want to end up.
Planning is an art, the art of thinking ahead and preparing for any eventuality to enable you to adapt on the fly.
It’s about controlling the chimp in your head, you remember that impulsive beast that can derail your best-laid plans when under pressure.
You wouldn’t start your holiday without knowing your destination, would you?
The same goes for negotiations. If you don't know where you're aiming, you might end up anywhere but where you intended.
Yogi Berra once said, “If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.”
This is as true in life as it is in any project, negotiation or endeavour.
Negotiation is 90% preparation.
Preparation means planning, and planning means information.
And what does information give you Walkawayers? Power. Massive, undeniable power.
And here it is folks.
Something to make your planning and preparation.. Well, more structured , and therefore more effective.
The Kahvay Negotiation Planning Canvas
The Negotiation Planning Canvas gives you a framework to plan your game, anticipate theirs, and prepare to adapt for whatever might happen. That’s how you control the game.
It is a tool designed specifically to help you sketch out your negotiations and the playing fields you find yourself on, from start to finish.
The Planning Canvas is where the magic happens. Trust me…
This is where you chart out your goals, your team, and yes, the obstacles that might stand in your way, both the obvious and the unexpected.
Think about it.
What are your objectives? Who are you bringing to the table? What’s the current balance of power? By jotting these down, you’re not just planning; you’re strategising.
The beauty of involving your team, and even other departments, is that you foster engagement and alignment.
Ever noticed how a well-oiled team moves so smoothly?
That’s the harmony you want during a negotiation. Whether it’s your senior leadership team, pricing, delivery, or operations, getting everyone on the same page is crucial to navigating the best outcome.
Plans are useless. Planning is essential (Eisenhower)
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Let’s break down the Kahvay Negotiation Planning Canvas.
Commander's Intent
Before diving into the specifics of your negotiation, it's crucial to define your Commander's Intent. It's the cornerstone of your negotiation strategy.
Start with the end in mind.
Take your time here and involve as many stakeholders as possible. You need everyone to have their say, argue their case and then agree to ensure that everyone involved is aligned.
Your Commander is a high-level executive or leader who has the authority to set strategic goals and make critical decisions.
In military terms, ‘Commander's Intent’ is a crucial concept that covers the overall objectives and desired end state of an operation as defined by the commanding officer.
In other words your Commander's Intent should clearly and succinctly (that's using only a few words people) describe what success looks like.
The reason is to empower you, to enable you to make decisions and adapt as circumstances change during execution, without needing any further input from your commander. This is particularly valuable in the ‘fog of war’.
Example: Our Commander's Intent is to secure the financial health and operational sustainability of our company. By the end of this year, we need to implement an 11% increase in our pricing across all client contracts and reduce our payment terms from 90 days to 30 days.
Once you’ve nailed your Commander's intent down, every other decision becomes so much easier and clearer.
Objectives: Setting Clear Goals
Your objectives should be SMART. You don't need me to tell you how to use SMART do you? Nah, I didn't think so..:
Specific,
Measurable,
Achievable,
Relevant,
and Time-bound.
These objectives will need to be a clear roadmap to achieve Commanders Intent.