Alternatives – look for alternatives, and assess what could be the best alternatives to what is being proposed that you don’t like. Perhaps you will need to improve your own alternative to make others accept it?

Interests – what matters to the others present? Identify their underlying interests, perhaps even the underlying interests for all present. What is shared by everyone present? What is the source of conflict? With this information in your hands you can use it to your advantage.

Communication – actively listen to what other people are saying so that you can understand them. Then enter into dialogue, which is conversation where you learn a bit about where the other person is coming from.

Relationship – be soft on people, hard on problems. Be unconditionally constructive, always trying to build better relating between yourself and other players, and you will find these other players are much more helpful and cooperative later on. Strive for mutual respect – make those you deal with respect your point of view as you strive to respect theirs.

Options – in difficult and seemingly impassable situations, creatively brainstorm. No idea should be off the table at first. Find ideas that provide mutual gain and you will likely get what you want. Devise solutions, not problems, and the difficult becomes easier.

Legitimacy – when there is doubt as to whether something is acceptable or legitimate, then try to establish and use objective criteria that is fair to all present.