In an article that recently appeared in The Public Manager, author Russ Linden identifies six elements for successful collaboration. The six factors he lists are consistent with what others have written about collaboration. In short, people know what it takes to work together in teams or groups, but collaboration remains very difficult to achieve. Continue reading →
How can you power up your negotiation skills? Powering up means increasing your ability to get things done, to be creative, and to resolve problems. I recently read two very different pieces of advice, one for grandparents and one for business leaders. Both these pieces of advice apply to negotiations; both advise the same thing. Continue reading →
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The structure of every negotiation process is multidimensional. At any given time, negotiations are occurring simultaneously along three distinct dimensions: (1) the horizontal dimension across the table with the other side; (2) the internal dimension within each negotiation team or party to the negotiation; and (3) the ratification dimension between each team or party and the organizational hierarchy they report to.
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Have you ever been in a situation where your negotiation team is de-briefing a bargaining session and one of your colleagues starts badmouthing your opponent? This sometimes happens after a particularly difficult negotiating session or the opponent has taken a particularly hard line. Sometimes it happens when you have made a proposal that the other side has rejected. What should you do when members of your negotiation team start to tear down the opponent? Continue reading →
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Berton Lee Lamb and Susan K. Driver
Here is a paradox for you to consider: First, people bargain harder if they cannot quantify the issues and results. Second, “compromise is often easier to arrange in a situation of ambiguity” (Raiffa, 1982). How can both these assertions be true? Continue reading →
Summary of an essay by Terry Paulson, Ph.D.
Ten suggestions for dealing with difficult people:
1. “Talk to people instead of about them.” Dr. Paulson recognizes that direct confrontation may be difficult but he observes that direct interaction can reduce misunderstanding and resentment.
2. “Avoid avoidance.” The idea is not to put things off; deal with conflict as soon as it becomes a problem. Continue reading →
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It seems surprising now, but there was a time when mediation wasn’t as common as it is today. There have always been mediators, of course. It is just that for a variety of reasons mediation has become more commonplace. One of the reasons is an attempt to reduce the cost of litigation. Another is the growing recognition that mediated dispute resolution can produce better results for everyone.
Participants in our training courses often ask for advice on choosing a mediator. Here are some lessons you might want to keep in mind: Continue reading →
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Negotiate with a Hard-nosed Person
A question was raised about a recent post on our Negotiation Guidance Associates blog: How do I negotiate with a hard-nosed person? The first word is preparation. How prepared are you to enter into a conversation with this individual? Here are some tips to A: get ready, and B: enter the conversation.
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Accurately diagnosing a negotiation is an important skill. Recognizing patterns is a helpful way to make a diagnosis. Humans are very good at recognizing patterns. One example is how well we recognize people’s faces. I have two grandsons and people often comment about how the grandsons look like their parents, grandparents, or even great grandparents. Another example is recognizing similar situations. When we encounter a new situation we immediately compare it with our own experiences and look for patterns. But matching patterns can lead negotiators into trouble. Continue reading →
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One bit of advice that is common on the negotiation lecture circuit is that a good negotiator is one who asks questions. I have given that advice myself, many times. But what do we mean by suggesting that it is important to ask questions? What kind of questions and how should they be asked? The answer is that it depends on why you are asking.
Negotiation Guidance Associates