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
Negotiation Nibbling
It goes by many names, but being nibbled on as a sales person sucks. Being so close to the end of a deal and then having to give something additional up, just before signature, is brutal. So how do you recognize it and how do you avoid being nibbled on? You've worked your ass off to get this deal and close it. And it's a big one too. The deal... Read more
The Logic Argument Is BS!
"Mark, you teach the preparation of development of strategy and efficient process in negotiations, but then in the same class you talk about tactical negotiation warfare and learning how to grind in a negotiation. The two seem counter to each other and I'm not sure I buy in to the need to learn to grind. My expectation is that as I approach the negotiation logically, so will others and therefore... Read more
5 Negotiations Quotes That You Can Apply to Your Next Negotiation
When I started this blog, I swore I would never do a list style post. And yet, here we are. But if you'll forgive me, I think this type of post requires a list. We're fortunate to live at the time that we do. There have been so many great business people, philosophers, and educators that have gone through hell in tough negotiations and they've crystallized their negotiation and communication... Read more
Are Women Good Negotiators?
Forgive me for the inflammatory title, but I wanted to get your attention. The truth is, they're every bit as good as men, but many of them don't believe that they are. You see, women have unfortunately been subject to system of oppression for a long, long time. And while we, collectively as western society, have come a long way in leveling the playing field, the effects of years of... Read more
The Power of Persistence In Negotiation
People often ask me, "Which personality type is the best for negotiation." For a long time that question stumped me. It stumped me because there are so many personality types that I've seen be successful at negotiation that I don't think it takes a certain personality type to be great. In thinking about the question more, I think I'd re-frame the question to, "What traits do the most successful negotiators... Read more
Failure Is the Best Teacher
So much is said, these days, about failure. Some people say, "I don't believe in failure. I either succeed or I learn." or I've heard, "Failure is a frame of mind.". I've even heard people say, "There is no such thing as failure you've only found out how not to do something." I call bullshit on those statements. Failure or losing at something is the best teacher. And I think... Read more