Short answer
Negotiation works through differences in price, scope, terms, and risk to reach an agreement each party understands and can sustain. It relies on explicit trade-offs, decision authority, and accurate commitments.
About Negotiation
Navigates commercial differences with clear trade-offs, relevant evidence, and sound judgment so the resulting agreement is understood and sustainable.
Use this competency for
- Roles that discuss price, scope, terms, or commitments with buyers.
- Roles authorized to shape commercial agreements within defined limits.
Do not use this competency for
- Roles that only communicate fixed terms and cannot propose or evaluate trade-offs.
Important distinctions
Closing
Negotiation resolves differences in an agreement. Closing guides the broader buying process to a clear decision and completed next step.
Expectations by level
IC1
Individual contributor 1
Handles straightforward commercial requests with guidance, follows approved boundaries, and escalates exceptions before offering a commitment.
Observable behaviors
- Confirms the buyer's reason for a requested change.
- Uses the approved concession and approval path.
- Records proposed terms and unresolved points.
Examples
- Asked why a longer payment period mattered before discussing options.
- Paused a discount response until the required approval was recorded.
IC2
Individual contributor 2
Independently negotiates varied agreements with competing constraints, exchanging changes rather than giving them away and protecting deliverable commitments.
Observable behaviors
- Links each concession to a change in scope, timing, or commitment.
- Explains the cost and risk of available options.
- Confirms agreed terms in writing before contract drafting.
Examples
- Offered phased scope instead of accepting a price reduction with unchanged delivery.
- Resolved a timing request by comparing two delivery options and their dependencies.
IC3
Individual contributor 3
Sets negotiation guidance for complex agreements across teams, frames novel trade-offs, and reviews commitments whose effects extend beyond one deal.
Observable behaviors
- Defines guardrails for recurring commercial requests.
- Coordinates legal, finance, and delivery input on unusual terms.
- Reviews complex negotiation plans for unsupported commitments.
Examples
- Created guidance for a recurring termination request after reviewing its delivery and revenue effects.
- Led an agreement review where product scope, payment timing, and support obligations were interdependent.