The Negotiation Design System
Cole Barrington — The Negotiator
Map leverage before you enter the room.
Prerequisite Required
This program requires Human Foundation Certification. Every expert on this board starts by understanding the person in front of them. That's not a soft skill. It's the foundation.
Begin Human Foundation Certification →The Story
“You walked into the room confident. You walked out wondering what happened. The other side moved the goalposts three times, and you adjusted each time — because you never mapped the field before kickoff.”
The Advantage
Practitioners who design the negotiation before they enter it close 40% faster and give up 60% fewer concessions.
What Changes
You will walk into every negotiation knowing your leverage, their leverage, and the three paths to agreement — before a single word is spoken.
How It Works
Five structured lessons covering leverage mapping, walk-away analysis, anchor reframing, multi-party dynamics, and deal closure.
What You Will HAVE
- 1
A pre-negotiation preparation system you use before every deal
- 2
A walk-away threshold documented before the other side sets theirs
- 3
The ability to reframe anchors without losing the table
- 4
A multi-party dynamics map for complex negotiations
- 5
A closing framework that gets you the deal you actually want
This Is For You If...
Founders, executives, and deal-makers who negotiate partnerships, funding rounds, vendor agreements, or acquisitions and want a repeatable system instead of improvisation.
This Is NOT For You If...
People looking for scripts or manipulation tactics. This is a design system for honest, high-stakes negotiation — not a bag of tricks.
Curriculum
5 lessons · 2.1 hours total
Map the Leverage Before You Enter the Room
Free PreviewBuild a complete leverage map identifying your BATNA, their BATNA, information asymmetries, and time pressure — so you walk in knowing the terrain.
25 min
Set Your Walk-Away Before They Set Theirs
Define your reservation price, aspiration price, and non-negotiables before the conversation starts — so you never agree to terms you regret.
20 min
Reframe the Anchor Without Losing the Table
Learn to neutralize aggressive anchors by reframing the reference point — without escalating tension or walking away prematurely.
25 min
Multi-Party Dynamics: When There Are More Than Two Sides
Map coalition structures, identify swing parties, and design proposals that create winning coalitions in multi-stakeholder negotiations.
30 min
Close the Deal You Actually Want
Use the convergence framework to move from tentative agreement to signed terms — while capturing the value you designed the negotiation to achieve.
25 min
Not sure this is the right program?
Take the Practitioner Diagnostic to find which board member methodology matches your current challenge. Two minutes. Zero commitment.
Take the DiagnosticReady to Start The Negotiation Design System?
Lesson 1 is free. No account needed. See the methodology in action before you commit.
Full access with Presence Pro at $297/mo · Individual program at $97/mo