The Power of Open Ended Questions
Anyone who’s been involved in negotiations or sales knows the power of a well-phrased question. But a simple focus on asking more questions won’t improve your results unless you work to ask the right kind of questions. You’ve likely heard of “open” and “closed” questions. But do you understand what those labels mean on a deeper, practical level? Keep reading if you want to put the power of open ended... Read more
The Contract Professional’s Role In Indemnification, Hold Harmless, and Risk Analysis
What is indemnification? How about a “hold harmless” statement? No idea? Alright, then maybe you’ll be able to describe a situation when you, as a contract professional, are obligated to “defend” a company you’re working for? If you find those questions absurd or incomprehensible, keep reading. You need the information below. On a recent episode of the Negotiations Ninja podcast, I had a conversation with Jeanette Nyden, a former lawyer... Read more
The Six Different People in a Negotiation
People new to enterprise sales think that when they’re in a room negotiating with one person, they’re negotiating with one person. But according to Joe Paranteau, there are multiple people that you negotiate with throughout the relationship. Why is it important to be able to communicate and negotiate with everyone involved? The six different people in a negotiation are people that are often overlooked. Joe uses this framework when he... Read more
The Power of the Positive No
Jean Reyt emphasizes that at some point in your life, you'll have to make a stand. You’ll have to say “no.” If you don’t, people around you will suffer. If you’re someone who struggles to say no, you need to figure out why. Jean firmly believes there will come a day where you won’t say “no,” and you will regret it. I love the book that William Ury wrote called... Read more
Raphael Lapin’s Dispute Resolution Continuum
Raphael Lapin is a Harvard-trained negotiation, mediation, and communication specialist. Anything negotiation-related falls under his purview—including government entities, corporate entities, and individuals. In episode #248 of the Negotiations Ninja podcast, he shares the difference between mediation and arbitration and where each falls on his dispute resolution continuum. The role of negotiation and mediation in Raphael’s dispute resolution continuum In Raphael’s dispute resolution continuum, you start with direct negotiation on the... Read more
Why Don’t Schools Teach Negotiation as a Critical Life Skill?
No one throughout their schooling career ever gets taught negotiation or broad-level communication skills. They’re not taught how to negotiate, have civil conversations, or advocate for their own needs. The conspiracy theorist in me questions why the school system is structured this way. Negotiation and conflict resolution should be a focus as early as possible in a child’s life. Why? Because conflict costs billions of dollars a year. Conflicts in... Read more
How to Overcome Your Fear of Negotiation
Lynn Price is the author of “Negotiate It!: How to Crush Your Fears, Develop Your Negotiation Muscle, and Gain Power in the Workplace.” She was in-house counsel for 20+ years for Telecom and the Engineering and Construction industry. She’s negotiated well over 11,000 agreements. Currently, Lynn is a trainer and consultant in negotiation. Her focus is training people to use her 3 R formula to dramatically improve their negotiating skills.... Read more
How to Communicate Your Value in a Negotiation
People don’t always appreciate your value. They need to know why they should deal with you. So you must position yourself, so you feel legitimate. Deborah Kolb likes to tell people, “Performance doesn’t speak for itself. You’re doing a great job and nobody knows.” It’s up to you to negotiate and communicate your value. Deborah knew the VP of Business Development in a financial services company. She and her husband... Read more
How to Operationalize and Manage Labor-Based Contract
Let’s say you’re a procurement professional working to manage spend for labor contracts. You’ve broken down the hours, and you even understand the allocation of cost. You’ve done your homework to make sure money isn’t being hidden. Everything looks good, so you get a contract in place. The problem is—even if you’ve done it all on the front end—managing a labor-based contract at a site-based level is a significant nuisance.... Read more
SLAY: Rebecca Zung’s Formula For Negotiating with Narcissists
When you’re in a negotiation, the biggest challenge often isn’t the data or contract terms – it’s the behaviour of the person sitting across from you. Dealing with combative, defensive, or unpredictable personalities can completely derail an otherwise straightforward business deal or legal settlement. Succeeding in these negotiation scenarios takes a specialized set of non-verbal communication and boundary-setting skills. Rebecca Zung has become well-known in the world of negotiation for... Read more