| Overview: Most negotiations that run into the buffers eventually get back on track. This is because the forces working for a settlement are usually stronger than those working for breakdown. The last phase of negotiations is the period when you are sure you cannot make any positional headway into your opponents' territory and it is time to look at joint solutions. When talks resume, a new atmosphere should enter the negotiating room, one of finding joint solutions based on principles and agreement. This does not mean that you should make concessions. On the contrary, the last phase of power negotiations is a time of extreme vigilance and care for it leads ultimately to an outcome to which you and your constituents will put your money and your name. |
