As deals get more complex, thealignmentproblem compounds the challenge. In multiproduct, multiregion, or cross-functional deals, stakeholders want to protect their own priorities—on price, risk, timeline, or other areas. For instance, the sales chief cares primarily about pricing and revenue; the engineering vice president is focused on deadlines; the legal team wants to minimize risk. Putting together a deal that satisfies those stakeholders requires negotiating internally first. Getting them to reachpre-negotiation consensususually requires agreement on the most conservative minimums acceptable to all. Once those thresholds are set, negotiators are left with little room to explore trade-offs or inventive solutions. If the counterparty won’t accept the preapproved terms, the negotiator must reopen internal debates about which stakeholders will make what kinds of accommodations, prolonging the process and eroding trust on both sides.