A deal can slow for reasons neither side has named. The counterpart may lack authority, need another approval or be reconsidering the economics. Your own team may interpret the delay as a negotiating tactic and respond with pressure that makes the problem harder to discuss.
Before accelerating, establish what is actually waiting.
Ask about the process directly
Clarify the remaining decisions, the people involved and the information they need. Compare that account with your own timetable.
Distinguish a genuine deadline from a preferred date. If the date matters, explain the consequence rather than repeatedly describing the matter as urgent.
Review your team's incentives
A team rewarded for completion may overlook a condition that deserves more examination. Another team may prolong discussion because nobody is prepared to own the final call.
State who can approve changes and which issues require specialist advice. Keep a written record of revised terms so that apparent progress does not conceal a different agreement.
Pressure and fatigue can affect the discussion, but a hormone or wearable reading cannot identify why a specific deal is delayed. The commercial and procedural questions still need answers.
A useful next step has an owner and a purpose. If both sides cannot name one, another meeting may simply repeat the uncertainty.
