Practical Ways to Decrease the Tension between Procurement and Sales
Procurement and sales teams tend to have a negative view of each other. Salespeople view procurement as the people who take their deals, shave 20% off the top, and subsequently cause them to lose deals. John Barrows, my guest on a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja, and I discuss ways to decrease the tension between procurement and sales. Engage with procurement as early as possible Instead of waiting until the... Read more
Morgan J Ingram’s 11-Touch Prospecting Campaign
Sales prospecting is a complex and often complicated role to play. You have to learn how to connect with people and keep them engaged while convincing them of the usefulness of your product or service. Morgan J Ingram has narrowed down two strategies to push past rejection and connect with sales prospects: 1. The pattern interrupt. Instead of starting a phone call sharing your name, the business you’re with, and... Read more
The Impact of Emotional Intelligence in Sales Negotiations
Emotional intelligence is the ability to be able to recognize and manage one’s own emotions—and those of others. Those who’ve mastered this skill are able to use the information they glean to adapt to different situations. They are able to assess the needs of others and communicate effectively to reach a common goal. Kim Orlesky—featured in a recent episode of Negotiations Ninja—was in a sales position where she was the... Read more
Make The Most Of Cooperative Negotiation Skills
Arm wrestling is a game where one person wins and another loses, every time. No matter how you play the game, that fact never changes. But negotiation trainer and coach Mihai Isman uses the game of arm wrestling to help his students understand two vital components of effective negotiations: Their own attitude about the person across the negotiation table, and Whether they lean toward a combative approach or a competitive... Read more
How To Find Your Negotiation Style
Every skilled negotiator goes about their craft with a particular style. This is not to infer that they are putting on a persona or facade, but rather that they have learned to integrate their learned negotiation skills and their unique personality and way of looking at the world. You should do the same. Though you can learn from other, more seasoned negotiators, never imitate them line by line or tactic... Read more
How NOT To Use Anchoring In Negotiation. Lessons Learned From President Trump
The negotiations going on between the United States and China here at the outset of 2020 serve as a brilliant example of the power of anchoring in negotiations. President Donald Trump, while a polarizing personality, is incredibly good at using anchors to advance his positions and goals. His tactics are fascinating to watch and to learn from. First, let’s make sure we all know what we’re talking about when referring... Read more
Negotiating with the Dark Side – Procurement’s Problem
When you are in procurement, you’re not just an enemy—you are the enemy to almost everyone involved (or least that’s how it feels). That’s why I like to call it negotiating with the dark side. Because more times than not, you’re viewed as counterproductive and a middleman to with whom most just want to check the box. Yes, we talked to procurement, now let’s get the project started! Why? It’s... Read more
Why Post-Negotiation Assessment Is Vital For Future Success
No matter the outcome of the negotiations you’re involved in - positive or negative - a vital practice you need to develop is to conduct a post-negotiation assessment. This debrief should include everyone on your negotiations team. Walking through the events of the negotiation together can give you perspective, enable you to notice the nuances of what made things turn out the way they did, and provide an understanding of... Read more
Effective Listening = Negotiation Success
We all believe that we know how to listen, but it’s not true. The truth is that what we call “listening” is only hearing. Hearing is done easily because it’s an automatic function of the ears and the brain, but listening means that we process what others say in a way that enables understanding and empathy. And it doesn't happen instantly just by hearing the words the person says. ... Read more
Negotiation Lessons From The Field
The Waco Branch Davidian siege is one of the most well-known hostage negotiations of all time. Former FBI hostage and crisis negotiator, Gary Noesner, was on the negotiation team at Waco during the siege. He remembers it as one of the worst negotiation situations he has ever been in, the failure of which he doesn’t attribute solely to David Koresh. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.... Read more