42 How to Become a Better Negotiator

you’ve identified really the problem or merely a symptom of a prob-

lem? Does this problem identification satisfy your needs? Is your
problem identification clear and concise to the point where you
could explain it easily to an intelligent stranger?
2. Brainstorm a list of possible solutions. This is an easy and
practical technique that anybody can use. Take out a sheet of paper
(or use a flipchart, overhead, or blackboard that all can see). Write
down all the possible solutions you or the group can think of. Do
not allow any negative comments about these ideas. You are going
after a quantity of ideas, regardless of quality. The more ideas, the
better. Once you’ve run out of new ideas, you or the group should
combine ideas that are essentially the same. Then start to weed
out clearly unworkable ideas until you get four or five alternative
solutions that you or the group could live with.
3. Evaluate alternative solutions. A technique called force
field analysis (see Figure 5–3) can help you with this step. Take out
another sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle, and label one
column with a plus sign (Ⳮ) and the other with a minus sign (–),
symbolizing benefits and risks. Then generate all the positives and
negatives associated with each solution developed in step two.
4. Make a decision. There are three ways you can decide
which alternative to use. Voting is one method. It’s fast, but what

FIGURE 5-3 FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS

Alternatives (+) Positives (–) Negatives

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

Solution 4

Solution 5

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