First, in the beginning, negotiators always focus on the relationship, realizing that even if they cannot reach agreement in this specific meeting, there will always be future opportunities. They prepare and plan for a positive environment, how will they manage the conflict, who is in the room and how can they show respect to each person in the meeting.
(more…)

We call asking for what you want in a negotiation stating a position. Positions define the issues and problem to be negotiated. Positioning sets the frame for the entire negotiation, so how you introduce your opening position will impact your desired outcome.
(more…)

If you are the kind of person with a million ideas and not enough time to pursue them, you might want to consider "fast tracking" your invention to market. In this way, you essentially become a hired gun. You, the inventor, perform the tasks of researching and developing the product. Then, you "outsource" the manufacturing and marketing to partners with money. Those partners will develop, market, and fund the startup costs. In return for their greater efforts, they will receive a greater return. The benefit to you, however, is that this is one of the quickest ways to bring a product to market and exit with cash in hand. If you are a serial inventor, this can be a great way to build up some cash and move on from one idea to the next.
(more…)

The reality of any negotiation is that it is an exercise in psychology. Realistic market factors play their role, but final decisions are usually made based on perception. How the seller perceives you, the investor, will influence the deal. Here are some tactics to tip the scales in your favor.
(more…)

The level of cooperation is the degree to which you are willing to work with the other party. Your level of trust and power will determine cooperativeness. The more cooperative each party is, the greater the collaboration. Less cooperation leads to a more competitive style of negotiations.
(more…)

We all negotiate - whether in the workplace, at home or in volunteer activities. We do because we all have needs and sometimes these needs conflict with the needs of others (e.g. "I need a low price and the supplier wants the highest possible price").
(more…)

By following these 4 steps you will be doing more than most people ever do to control a negotiation.
(more…)

Negotiation is a big part of the business world. Every day, businessmen and women negotiate to close big deals. However, negotiation is also used to solve disputes between one or more parties. Negotiation is used to allow all parties involved feel that they have come out winning. The power to be a skilled negotiator is not something you are born with, it takes years of practice to hone this skill, and when perfected, you will have a certain power.
(more…)

Conflict in the workplace, assuming it is an actual pitched battle between employees - fights on the loading dock for instance, or between supervisors who start malicious rumors about one another, is easy to see. Even so the dollar cost of such obvious conflict is rarely measured.
(more…)

Much of our work today depends on our ability to influence groups of people we lead or work with on projects. Groups are made up of many personalities, mindsets, motives, and agendas - some explicit and others hidden - so having a specific strategy for influencing teams can mean the difference between success and failure.
(more…)