Negotiating

Work around strong negotiation opponents

August 16, 2021
Negotiating goes smoothest when both sides seek realistic success without feeling they have to vanquish their adversaries. Sometimes, however, your opponent will take an all-or-nothing attitude. When that happens, you have three options for accomplishing your goal.

Negotiation Quick Takes: September ’21

August 16, 2021
Refocus your interests … Where everybody sits makes a difference … Trying to reconcile quarreling employees?

The ‘Never, Never, Never’ rule

July 14, 2021
The negotiation process involves a great deal of give and take; part of the “give” each negotiator ought to be prepared to offer is generally referred to as concessions. Remember this rule: Every concession must yield a reward. 

Have you found their implicit need?

July 14, 2021
Negotiators make decisions according to both explicit and implicit needs. Here are two of the most common implicit needs that surface in negotiations, and how you can discover them.

Set the stage for a successful negotiation

July 14, 2021
Imagine you’re headed into a conference room where five unfamiliar people are waiting for you.

The Martha’s Vineyard deal: A case study in push and pull

July 14, 2021
“What I find is that sophisticated practitioners are constantly grappling for control of the rules of a deal at the same time as they’re negotiating its substance,” says Guhan Subramanian, Chair of the Harvard Program on Negotiation. He offers this true anecdote to demonstrate how negotiators can work an unfavorable deal to their advantage.

Move on before salary negotiations bog down

June 9, 2021
Do salary negotiations seem to drag on and on when you’ve got a candidate you want to hire? Do yourself and your job candidates a favor: Announce clearly when you’ve reached the highest salary you can offer.

Negotiation Quick Takes: July ’21

June 9, 2021
Why just tell if you can show? … One question to possibly avoid … Use your voice appropriately.

Do you negotiate by asking … or are you just telling?

June 9, 2021
It’s often assumed that business negotiations—especially when price is concerned—must be cutthroat. But that’s not always necessary. In negotiating, as in working with people in general, knowing who you’re talking to and how to talk to them can make all the difference.

Use judicious threats to propel talks

May 27, 2021
When you’re working out a problem with employees, vendors, or customers, making threats can be risky. People resent them, and you may decrease the likelihood of cooperation and even risk inciting revenge. Yet, as negotiation experts Adam D. Galinsky and Katie A. Liljenquist point out, threats can be effective—if you follow these three principles.