Rank Order the Terms of a Negotiation

You might value commissions, while your employer can be flexible with commissions.

Negotiator who prioritizes salary, then raises, then remote work vs a candidate who prioritizes remote work, then salary, then raises

Overview

Rank order all of the terms by importance:

...information about positions and preferences is more distributive in that it highlights differences, whereas information about priorities is more integrative in that it identifies potential trade-offs. (Weingart & Olekalns, 2004, p. 146)

Ranked lists will help you see the areas of flexibility: You might value commissions, while your employer can be flexible with commissions.

However, never address terms sequentially. Don’t resolve salary. THEN commissions. THEN vacation days. Lump everything to maintain your bargaining power. You can concede in less important areas to receive value in more important areas.

Weingart, L. R., & Olekalns, M. (2004). Communication processes in negotiation: Frequencies, sequences, and phases. The handbook of negotiation and culture, 143-157.