Beware of Diminishing Returns

When negotiating, you don’t want to over-shoot and end up in the realm of diminishing returns.

During negotiations, you need to keep in mind the distance between you and the other party and check:  Is it more than what you’ll spend or lose if you don’t settle?

This question can come up right away, or as far in as impasse.  Beware, though, it’s typically clouded by a fight over principles.  Certainly, principles have their value, but principles aren’t negotiable.  Negotiation occurs over pragmatics.

I encourage you to keep your eyes on your objective – your achievable objective – and carefully recognize when you might be about to exceed the point of maximal opportunity.  Decide what you want to pay for, or not.

About Maria Hanna Joseph

Maria Hanna Joseph, principal of Joseph Mediation, is an Attorney-Mediator who is highly regarded for her experience and ability to resolve employment, workplace and organizational disputes. She has served more than 2,000 matters over her 20 years as a mediator and her 29 year employment law career. With care, expedience and economy, Maria helps attorneys and parties achieve settlement in nearly every mediation. Moreover, her pragmatism and perseverance bring about purposeful settlements; products of Maria's insight and creativity, gained by her depth of experience and training. These qualities, along with her demeanor and the trust she engenders, have earned Maria a reputation for being able to manage extremely challenging circumstances and settle a wide variety of cases. Maria is available to provide services in-person or virtually (utilizing teleconference and desk-top videoconference resources) throughout Massachusetts, New England and the U.S.
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