Negotiating

Lessons in persuasion from a 19-year-old

March 2, 2012
The most persuasive person that August Turak has ever met was a 19-year-old undergraduate at Duke University named Meredith Parker. Their conversation holds the secret to persuasively getting what you want:

Attack using ‘3-D chess’

January 31, 2012

As a federal prosecutor, DeMaurice Smith never backed off. That’s precisely how Smith, more lately as head of the NFL Players Association, secured a good contract for his members in 2011. His secrets? Three P’s:

The power of brutal transparency

December 19, 2011
The power of transparency is that it speeds trust and collaboration, says Dov Seidman, founder and CEO of compliance training firm LRN. And, surprisingly, it’s incredibly disarming.

Learn to tune in to body language

November 23, 2011

Tuning in to body language is one of the most important things you can do in business situations. Unfortunately, most of us become so wrapped up in what we’re saying, we forget to pay attention to the person we’re talking with. The solution: Look out for basic cues.

How LBJ used power and leadership

October 14, 2011
Understanding the distinction between power and leadership—how leaders use power to accomplish things—is the work of historian Robert Caro. In his books on President Lyndon Johnson, Caro shows that power doesn’t corrupt so much as it reveals: When you amass enough power, it reveals what you’ve really wanted all along.

Bring in a third party at an impasse

September 6, 2011
When United Airlines was making its first big purchase of the 737 aircraft, it ran into a disagreement with pilots. United believed that two pilots should fly the plane while the union wanted three pilots. That management and union leadership reached an impasse is no huge surprise. But what is surprising is what came next.

How to get what you want

August 2, 2011

“There’s this big building in Chicago called the Sears Tower. You heard of it?” Joseph Plumeri, chief executive of Willis Group Holdings, asked graduating seniors at the College of William & Mary. That’s also the way Plumeri would tell people how he planned to rename that skyscraper the Willis Tower.

Leadership Tips: Vol. 811

August 1, 2011
Plan a reverse elevator pitch: Every­body knows about the 30-­second “elevator speech” aspiring employees should have on hand when riding the elevator with head honchos. But do you have a snippet ready for times you’re confined in a small space with a subordinate or a visitor?

Recognize a ‘thick face’

July 7, 2011

Most Americans know about “saving face,” the Asian concept of preserving reputation, dignity and prestige. Less known is having a “thick face,” or being tough and adaptable while still saving face. There’s more to having a thick face, as defined by a Western businessman who worked for many years in China:

Four ‘musts’ for women managers

May 16, 2011
Common wisdom says you’re a leader because you’re good at leading. But research suggests that you’re a leader because you’re good at claiming the authority to lead. That’s a necessary lesson for women managers, say Harvard professors Hannah Riley Bowles and Kathleen McGinn.