Conversation Skills: Why They’re SO Important in Negotiation
Conversation skills are becoming somewhat of a lost art. Yet conversation is the #1 basic skill any good negotiator or salesperson must master, according to Rene Zamora. Rene joined me on a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about sales management and communication. He points out that conversation skills can make or break a negotiation. You can’t be in a conversation with the person across the table and spend... Read more
Understanding the Emotional Brain: Why it Matters in Negotiation
The role of psychology in negotiation is quite fascinating. Understanding how the human brain works can lend you key insights into understanding the human psyche. Humans experience a variety of emotions—especially in the negotiation process—and acknowledging those emotions is one of the best ways to overcome them. Kwame Christian was featured on episode 135 of Negotiations Ninja and one of the topics covered in the episode was how our brains... Read more
Handling High-Stakes Negotiations in Times of Crisis
It’s safe to say that the Coronavirus pandemic is a time of crisis for most businesses. The stakes are high—in some cases, the very survival of businesses—and it’s important to handle these high-stakes negotiations in times of crisis the right way. On a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, I was joined by negotiations experts Gary Noesner and Allan Tsang (with negotiator Shane Ray Martin kind enough to moderate) to answer... Read more
Overcoming Sales Objections Like a Pro
Overcoming sales objections is a harrowing task. Many salespeople brace themselves for a coming objection and when it inevitably comes they handle the objection poorly. So that begs the question: what’s the proper way to handle an objection? How do you use the objection to connect with your prospect? David Priemer joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about buyer intent and why people buy. Buying is... Read more
Negotiation Strategy and Planning From the Lens of a Sales Professional
Paul Watts joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about negotiation strategy and planning. His unique perspective as a seasoned sales professional is a welcome change of pace. He shared some techniques that he uses in his career that can help you become a better negotiator. What are they? The old adage: practices makes perfect Simple advice—but one of THE best ways Paul has found to improve... Read more
Why Negotiators Should Master Mirroring
Banachek—a famous mentalist—has mastered the art of mirroring (as well as other psychological means of persuasion). In an episode of Negotiations Ninja, he joined me to share some of his expertise and what he’s found especially useful during his career. What is the concept of mirroring? Most negotiators are likely familiar with the concept of isopraxism—more commonly known as mirroring. Mirroring is echoing what someone else is doing in a... Read more
How to Embrace Your Leadership Role When Times are Tough
My personal mentor and friend Marty Park joined me in an episode of Negotiations Ninja to talk about how to manage and communicate effectively in times of crisis. Many people were immediately thrust into working from home. Employees feel they are on shaky ground and find themselves uncertain of their future. How do YOU muddle through this as a leader? How do you reassure your staff when you are experiencing... Read more
How to Manage Your Emotions to Maintain Credibility as a Negotiator
In order to be an effective negotiator, you have to learn how to manage your emotions to maintain your credibility. You can’t let emotions drive the process and most certainly can’t take things personally—or the conversation will go south quickly. Josh King recently joined me on the Negotiations Ninja podcast to discuss negotiations and the tactics he’s learned over the years to manage emotions. It’s okay to take a step... Read more
How to Eliminate Cognitive Biases in Negotiations
A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that affects every decision or judgment that you make. Edmund Zagorin developed a software platform called Bid Ops that understands cognitive bias and factors it into the equation when developing quotes for potential buyers or suppliers. The two of us have a conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on procurement in a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja. According to the... Read more
What Game of Thrones and the Coronavirus Can Teach Us About Negotiation Tactics
In a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, Oren Klaff joined me to talk about negotiation tactics. While I don’t watch Game of Thrones, Oren used an analogy that drove his point home and it is worth discussing. Winter is coming “Winter is coming” is a theme running throughout Game of Thrones. While it is layered with meaning, Oren points out that the critical subtext is this: a once in a... Read more