How to Teach Someone—Without Offending Them
What is the relationship between a person needing help and the person delivering it (i.e., a psychoanalyst)? The person who needs psychoanalysis wants their doctor to know what they need to know so they can get better. But in many doctor/patient relationship, at some point, the patient decides they don’t like the expert having that ability. They’ll spout things like “I don’t know why I come here” and “All you... Read more
How Gender Biases and Cultural Norms Impact Negotiations
Suzanne is a Professor of Management & Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. She’s also taught at IMD in Switzerland and Seattle University. She’s had the opportunity to teach on six continents. And throughout her years as a consultant, professor, and advisor, she’s witnessed how gender biases and cultural biases impact one’s ability to negotiate. It’s time to question what unconscious biases are impacting your negotiations. How gender biases change... Read more
Why Amber Heard’s Team Failed Her
The verdict is in, and Johnny Depp has been declared the victor in the defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard. While it’s no surprise to anyone, and many agree with the verdict, Amber’s team could have done better. When you go to court, you, your witnesses, your experts, and your lawyers are on trial. Amber’s team seemed to have forgotten this simple fact. In episode #295 of Negotiations Ninja, Susan Ibitz... Read more
The Importance of a Sales Process
—How do you warm up a sale? How do you interact with prospects? How do you build rapport? In episode #293 of Negotiations Ninja, Kim Orlesky points out that people have a weird assumption that the sales process is simply picking up the phone and “giving it a go.” But many people don’t realize that there’s a process behind outreach, rapport building, etc. If there isn’t a process, there should... Read more
How Procurement Can Defend Their Interests in a Market that Favors Suppliers
The one thing that is never disputed is that procurement teams are lean, overburdened, understaffed, and asked to do the work of 2–3 people. Even if you do want to manage spend, you don’t have the time—or team—to do it. FInd out how procurement can defend their interests. Suppliers are taking advantage of procurement whenever possible Suppliers have learned that when the typical contract length is 3–5 years, they can... Read more
How Procurement Professionals Should Approach Intellectual Property Negotiations
Extreme boilerplate language in intellectual property clauses such as “Anything you enter the relationship with and create during the relationship is ours” can be concerning. It can raise red flags. And it makes intellectual property negotiations complicated. Legal teams do this to anchor the counterparty for easier negotiations. Understandably, they want to maintain and control the intellectual property coming into and being developed during the engagement. But there are likely things... Read more
How to “Say Less, Get More”
“Say Less, Get More” is Fotini Iconomopoulos’ latest book where she teaches negotiators unconventional ways to get what they want—i.e., say less to get more. But the average person avoids negotiating. Anything that could bruise egos, cause conflict, or make someone feel a sense of loss, can cause people distress. When this happens, Fotini sees people go into flight, fright, or freeze. It makes them tongue-tied and timid. No one... Read more
How a KGB Sleeper Agent became an Asset for the United States
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... Read more
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... Read more
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... Read more