For 2 month ago Barack Obama sent a clear message to Gaddafi:
„I want to be very clear: These terms are not negotiable!“
Generally, in a beginning of a negotiation, an early final decision should be avoided. The one who is setting too early a final commitment, might suddenly loose one’s face within the negotiation process. In some cases a clear final statement is on the one hand obviously very promising and advantageous, but on the other hand, there are also several risks involved:
Advantages: Everybody knows clearly it’s own standpoint within the negotiation. Your negotiation partner gets undoubtedly to know the non-negotiable terms and should react accordingly. From now on, the negotiation is based on a high level of clarity and furthermore, the flexibility of your negotiation partner is definitely limited.
President Barack Obama has not set an early final decision for a negotiable term, as he is not involved in a negotiation process with Gaddafi. Obama has set an early commitment as a message to Gaddafi; a message to the world!
Risks: In every negotiation there are surprising moments. And please keep in mind: You will never get to know all information. The one who is setting too early one’s final decision, will obviously loose further options in case new information will appear. A threat is a typical final decision. The one, who visibly threatens the other negotiation party, will also reduce one’s flexibility.
Additionally, there is something special: “reactance” – If someone threatens during a negotiation, the stress level of the other party also increases and provokes an emotional overreaction: the reactance.
The right moment of announcing a final decision:
You are definitely allowed to announce a final decision in case no new level of information will appear. President Barack Obama has announced his final agreement after a signed UN-Resolution and as well as his military was already on the way to Libya.
Finally, you are allowed to announce your final decision if you possess an aircraft carrier and several bombers. In the realistic case of not having such a great military power, please try to avoid a final decision.