Jack Barsky was born in 1949 in Eastern Germany as “Albrecht Dittrich.” At the time, Eastern Germany was occupied by the Soviets. Jack spent 26 years of his life in a Communist regime. He even obtained a Master’s Degree in Chemistry. But before he could start a career as a college professor, he was recruited by the KGB. In 1978—after five years of training in Moscow and Berlin—he was launched as an undercover lone-wolf agent…
Putting the Principles of Influence into Practice
Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE. He’s a keynote speaker, trainer, coach, and consultant who specializes in the science of influence and persuasion popularized by Robert Cialdini. Brian has written multiple books on the science of influence, including “Influence PEOPLE: Powerful Everyday Opportunities to Persuade that are Lasting and Ethical” and “Persuasive Selling.” To reach an entirely new audience, Brian decided to try his hand at writing a business parable, “The Influencer.”…
Buying and Selling a Business: Common Structures to Know
Many entrepreneurs may not have thought of ways to make a deal more beneficial. Or they don’t know the best way to structure a sale. That’s where a coach or advisor like Joe Valley comes into play. Joe points out that cash is a type of offer but there’s also cash plus a hold deck, cash plus a stability payment, cash plus a seller note, cash plus an earnout, cash plus an equity role, and—you…
Trust in Negotiation is NOT a Necessity
Everyone has heard some version of the phrase, “We only do business with people we know and trust.” Many negotiators believe that trust is the thread that holds negotiations together. Allan Tsang and Dan Oblinger believe that is a lie. Trust is a luxury. Is it trust—or rapport? Trust is fragile. No one trusts anyone when they just meet them. You may have a gut feeling. You may like or dislike them. But it’s impossible to…
Edmund Zagorin’s Three Keys to Attracting and Retaining Procurement Talent
Procurement leaders are being asked to do more than ever before with very few resources available. There aren’t enough hours in the day to complete everything on their plates. Digital projects are being added to their workload. Procurement is being asked to work harder now to save time eventually. But what do they prioritize? If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority. When you get down to it, there’s too much transactional and…