Draw The Other Party In With Emotion
There are a lot of negotiation experts that will tell you to separate emotion from the negotiation you go into. Ever tried to do that in something that you’re really emotionally invested in? Yeah, and how did that go? If you’re like most people, it probably didn’t go very well. That’s because that advice is BS to begin with. Negotiation is intimate an emotional. You cannot separate emotion from negotiations.... Read more
The Dark-Side of Negotiation
There are those that would use the negotiation for nefarious means. One such person was so bold to even contact me directly the other day and said thank you for giving them the tools they need to "trick" more people into doing what they want. Unfortunately, people like this exist. I know, I used to be one. Some industries and corporate cultures breed this type of behavior and even encourage... Read more
Change Is Constant
Change is a constant in our lives, isn't it? Just when you think you've got hold of something, it surprises you and changes. Running a business is like that every single day. And occasionally some structural changes are required to account for the change. The great thing about change though is that it keeps things fresh. And keeping things fresh is key to succeeding as a start-up. My business is... Read more
Mistakes Have Been Made
Mistakes have been made. I've screwed up many times. I will continue to screw up. But as with everything, when we screw up we also learn our biggest lessons. Negotiation is no different. It's tough to know what you should have done differently unless you make a mistake. I've had some major bombs in negotiations, but there are a few that stick out as truly memorable. This post is about... Read more
Concession Planning In Negotiation
"Why in the world would you plan what you will give away before you go into a negotiation? Surely you shouldn't be planning to give away anything or very little. I mean this just seems silly." This was the feedback I got from one student a few months ago. And before you either agree with the person or cast off the statement as trolling, let's give him the respect he... Read more
Who Makes The First Offer?
Should you make the first offer or should you let the other party make the first offer? There are two schools of thought here. The first says that you should always let the other party make the first offer. The second says that you should make the first offer. Both think they're right, so which is actually right. Well, I'm not short on opinions, so allow me to weigh in... Read more
Responding To Anchors
Very quickly, how do you respond to an anchor? Easy answer - ignore it. I know it sounds like a cop out answer, but honestly, it's the only way to ensure you don't play that game. As a quick refresher, anchoring someone is to cause a cognitive bias in someone's mind to rely heavily on an initial offer (to 'anchor' someone to your offer so you're more likely to close... Read more
What Do You Want?!?
What is it that you want out of your negotiation? More importantly, what do you need? And please don't say, "I want a good deal." or "To make money." Holy shit. If I hear that again, I might lose it! As shocking or strange as it may sound, most people go into negotiations with no idea what they actually need or want. First things first. Needs are different than wants.... Read more
Poker and Negotiation
We negotiate in everything we do. From trying to get the dog to go pee outside to negotiating with your kids at bedtime to hiring/firing and making deals at work. If you're in sales and procurement you negotiate a lot and you can implement negotiation skills and practice practically on an ongoing basis. But if you're not in one of those professions, but still want to improve your negotiation skills,... Read more
How to Deal With Difficult People
Dealing with difficult people is so, well, difficult! They never listen to logic. They only ever care about their agenda. They're always trying to circumvent process. It's so frustrating! Why are they so difficult!?! But are they really difficult, or is it just your perception of them being difficult because they won't listen to you? Sure, sometimes there truly are just difficult people that we need to deal with. I'll... Read more