In times of crisis, a lot of decision-making is done through negotiation. A good approach in negotiation is to focus on how to maximise potential gains for each side, looking at the potential impacts in the long-term scenario and considering also the unintended consequences of what we decide today. However, in moments of crisis, this win-win approach is often more geared toward minimising potential losses.

Under these circumstances, timeliness of action is paramount, especially when early measures can make a difference, but the stress of the situation could lead us to concentrate entirely on securing the immediate because the long-term seems too far away and we can have the perception that tomorrow may not come at all. In addition, the involved stakeholders could have very different time pressures, due to diverse business cycles and time horizons.

Decisions that ignore medium- and long-term implications can leave us unprepared, and sometimes impaired, for the return to post-crisis normalcy. Actually, we do not have to choose between the immediate and the long term, as difficult as it may seem.

It may be useful, for example, to identify contingent scenarios, weighing each of them considering the short- and long-term implications, to define preparatory measures and to trigger conditions, and map out contingent roadmaps to return to post-crisis normalcy.

It should be noted that the most common approaches, orientated to analyse costs and benefits, distribute risks, bargain for advantages, trade across differently valued interests, and maximise gains are hard to employ in a climate where the goal is not to seek mutual gain, but to avoid mutual loss.

Additionally, the novelty of the crisis, the speed and severity of potential threats, and the uncertainty about information patterns can also lead us to fall into the trap of adopting a more adversarial approach toward our negotiation partners.

Under these circumstances, it is good to move towards collaborative decision-making.

Despite remote work, virtual interaction, and social distancing, it is essential that people debate and decide potential solutions together. In fact, a transparent, open, truthful, and collaborative approach to negotiation can help share a common purpose and find the best contingency scenarios.

The basic idea is to get to an agreement that is better than the best we can do without an agreement. This guideline can help us negotiate in times of crisis.