Communication

Avoid martyrs—and avoiding becoming one

November 10, 2021
Do you work with a martyr-leader? Or do you suspect that you might be one? Let’s examine the criteria.

6 ways to break toxicity’s grip

October 22, 2021
Here is a basic roadmap of steps to take if you’re seeing signs that you’re running a toxic environment, before it turns from toxic to downright hostile.

How can a grumpy veteran lead a newbie?

October 13, 2021
Q: Sometimes I think I’m doomed as a leader because I listen to what far younger people are saying and I think, “You just don’t get it. You don’t have any life experience. Just wait 20 years and see if you still believe your nonsense.” Am I just a hopeless dinosaur?

For hotheads, establish ground rules

October 13, 2021
Q: I was ready to interview a potential CFO with excellent qualifications when one of his references mentioned that while he was terrific, he also had “a bit of a temper.” I figure that this means it’s actually a big one. How do I bring up my concerns in the interview?

Learn the first law of trial attorneys

October 13, 2021
Of the myriad techniques that trial attorneys learn, perhaps the most important is this: Never ask a question to which you do not already know the answer. Open-ended, ultimate-type questions such as “Why?” are, for example, strictly forbidden.

The 6 steps of paying only what you want

October 13, 2021
On National Public Radio’s “Planet Money,” hosts David Kestenbaum and Robert Smith engage experts on bargaining tactics that surface in familiar situations. One of their guests is Chris Voss, who was a hostage negotiator with the FBI. One day Chris fell in love with a particular SUV. As he tells the story of his pursuit of it, some key negotiating steps come into play.

Can it come down to who nods better?

October 13, 2021
How you make people feel is both largely expressed by their body language and largely influenced by your own. Body language is the physical, albeit nonverbal, manifestation of emotion. It speaks louder than words, and sometimes even contradicts them.

There’s a strategy even to empathy

October 13, 2021
It’s entirely possible to negotiate with difficult people, either formally in a corporate setting or, as Chris Voss (CEO of The Black Swan Group) once experienced, at customs while trying to reclaim lost luggage in an Australian airport.

Negotiate to the day’s rhythms

October 13, 2021
There is a kind of logic to the best and worst times of day to negotiate. Here are some generalized clock-related rhythms to keep in mind.

Spy vs. spy: The challenge of pre-negotiation research

October 13, 2021
Much work that determines a good outcome in a negotiation is done prior to starting the conversation. Stever Robbins gives some strategic advice for maximizing your pre-negotiating time on an episode of the “Modern Mentor” podcast.