No, that’s not a typo. I really do mean timing. When you’re in a negotiation of any sort – from a simple request to a tough business challenge to a full-on conflict situation – sensitivity to timing is a crucial, and often-overlooked, factor. Timing comes into play in several ways – and all of them are important, no matter whether you’re …
Do you know how to ask? 3 steps to get the best response.
Do you know how to ask? Your mother taught you to always say Please and Thank You. And that’s a good thing, of course. But, assuming you want the best, most useful response to your ask, there’s a bit more to it than that! 1. What do you want? All too often people make vague, unclear requests that require the …
Negotiating evolving roles – with ease
A few days ago, someone in my Facebook group asked how to open a conversation with her daughters about how their roles are changing. She’s getting older, and her daughters are adults. It’s what happens. Children become adults, and the parental role evolves. Adults grow older, and the children’s role evolves. It happens in business, too. Newbie employees gain experience, …
The one must-do for successful negotiation
Practice. I could end this post right there, because that’s the message. You must practice. Practice doesn’t mean scripts; scripts aren’t helpful when things go sideways. And they will go sideways. As military strategist Helmuth von Moltke said, “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy,” and as pugilist Mike Tyson pointed out, “Everyone has a plan – until they get punched …
Are there alternatives to win-lose negotiation?
Negotiation. Someone wins. Someone else loses. One person gets what they want. The other person doesn’t. How often do we “win,” only to discover that it’s a hollow victory? What we said we wanted feels different from the “winning” outcome. How often do we “win,” only to discover that the relationship with the other person is irreparably damaged? How often do …