Top Ten Series: 10. What should I do after a negotiation to ensure successful implementation?

After a successful negotiation, the work is almost done, but not quite—it’s like making plans with friends. Sure, everyone’s agreed on the time and place, but if you don’t lock down the details, chaos is inevitable. Someone will show up at the wrong spot, another will cancel at the last minute, and suddenly, everyone’s pointing fingers. To make sure your plans—or negotiation—don’t end in confusion, you need to take three crucial steps: confirm the agreed-upon terms in writing, clarify any lingering details, and follow up to ensure everyone sticks to the plan.

Confirming the terms in writing is like sending out a group text with the exact time, place, and what to bring. If you leave things vague, someone’s going to show up at the wrong time or place. Getting everything in writing is like locking in the plans so nobody has an excuse to say, “Wait, I thought we were meeting somewhere else?” It’s a friendship saver, and it’ll save your negotiation too.

Clarifying the details is like making sure everyone knows what’s expected. Are we dressing up, or is this casual? Who’s picking up who? Is someone bringing chips, or are we ordering when we get there? If you don’t iron out the small stuff, you’ll end up with two people bringing chips and nobody with a ride, or worse, awkwardly overdressed for pizza night. Same goes for negotiations: you’ve got to nail down the details, or things can unravel fast.

Following up is your way of making sure everyone shows up and nothing falls apart last minute. Just because you made plans last week doesn’t mean everyone remembered them, and there’s always that one friend who "forgets." Sending a quick reminder—“Hey, we still on for tonight?”—ensures no one flakes, and the same goes for your agreement. Check in to make sure everyone’s still on board and to address any last-minute hiccups.

So, if you want your negotiation to succeed like the perfect night out, write it down, clear up the small stuff, and follow up. That’s how you’ll avoid ending up alone at the wrong restaurant wondering what went wrong! 

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