These are possible agreements or parts of agreements. Effective diplomats must learn how to expand the pie rather than slice a fixed or diminished area. Common mistakes at this point are single solutions or counterproductive criticism and evaluation versus suspended judgement, which will enable multiple ideas. Try to keep your options open. Standards A contest of wills quickly degenerates into a conflict of egos.
Effective negotiators adopt a joint search for fair and mutually satisfying solutions.
Fair standards are useful measuring sticks that will help lead to fair solutions. These include the law, precedent, equal treatment, market value, and such. The key is that all sides may more easily defer to that which is seen to be fair. The purpose of negotiation is not always to reach an agreement, which really is only a means to the end of satisfying your own interests. Therefore, the purpose of negotiation is to explore whether you can satisfy your interests better through an agreement versus pursuit of your own best alternative to a negotiated agreement.