Why deliberately put a negotiation process in place if things seem to work without one? That’s a fair question. Not every negotiation needs a carefully designed process. In many cases, some degree of preparation, combined with experience and a good feel for the situation, might be enough.

I like to think of a negotiation process as a control dial. For a straightforward negotiation, you can leave it turned down. Nobody needs a five-step governance model to agree terms with a long-standing business partner. But when significant amounts of money, strategic dependencies, multiple parties or time pressure are involved, you might need to turn it up. That is when questions like the following start to matter: Who needs to be involved? Who speaks to whom, and when? What are the escalation and decision-making procedures? Which issues actually need to be brought to the table?

The point is not to use as many of these elements as possible. A good process is not an end in itself; rather, it should fit the situation. The skill lies in knowing when and how to turn it up.

As the significance of a negotiation increases, it is not only the process that becomes more complex, but also the situation of the person negotiating the deal.

In the heat of the moment, things can unfold differently. Time runs short, information is incomplete or the other side applies pressure. Within the organisation, several people with different interests may suddenly be involved. A decision that seemed straightforward in a calm setting might become difficult in the moment. At some point, you may find yourself no longer acting on the basis of your strategy, but reacting to whatever is in front of you.

This is where a good negotiation process does something that’s often overlooked. It does not just protect the outcome. It also helps to protect the negotiator.

A solid process provides a framework for those moments when the situation becomes unclear. Not a rigid script, but a point of reference: What are we trying to achieve? Where can we move, and what do we want in return? Who decides? And how do we know when the outcome is good enough to close the deal?

There is nothing spectacular about any of this. No secret techniques involved. Yet, when a negotiation becomes complex, these seemingly simple questions can suddenly become decisive.

A negotiation does not begin with the first sentence at the table, nor does it necessarily end with the handshake. In between lies an array of objectives, information, people, decisions, dependencies, timing and options. And that system can and needs to be designed.

That does not mean that every negotiation needs a large apparatus around it. An over-engineered process can be just as unhelpful as having no process at all. But when the stakes are high, organisations still surprisingly often rely on the assumption that the right people will simply do the right thing when it matters most.

Sometimes they do. Experienced negotiators can absorb an incredible amount of complexity and pressure. But an organisation should not have to rely on that. A good negotiator can rescue a negotiation. A good negotiation process makes sure they do not have to.