Communication

How to avoid the dreaded ‘predictable surprise’

April 13, 2022
When entering negotiations, it’s smart to protect yourself against what Lawrence Susskind calls “predictable surprises.” Here is some advice from his book Good for You, Great for Me.

Effectively negotiate your bills

April 6, 2022
When the term negotiation arises, it’s often in the heady context of business deals, referring to tactics and skill. Well, what makes your personal finances any different? Try a bill negotiation app.

Beware 4 negotiation squeezes

March 25, 2022
When entering negotiations, you have faith you’ll be talked to honestly. But you do have to go in prepared for underhanded tactics. Here are a few of the tackiest old-school ploys negotiators may present.

Illegal harassment vs. legal (but still wrong) bullying

March 17, 2022
Nate’s mistreatment of Will in Season 2 of the hit TV show Ted Lasso is uncomfortable to watch and horrendous management. But is it illegal? The answer is no.

How to compete with rising pay expectations

March 10, 2022
Target announced at the end of February that it was dramatically raising its minimum wage. Other large companies are also raising pay and benefits to compete for available talent. What does this mean for smaller organizations that can’t afford such lofty pay scales and benefits packages?

What exactly is insubordination?

March 9, 2022
When people hear the term “insubordination,” they often envision someone in the military refusing to carry out the orders of a commanding officer. The concept is similar when applied to a work environment

Making the world go around

March 9, 2022
Mike Rose’s book The Mind at Work is an important reminder of the need to value the intellects of all workers in all trades. This excerpt describes how he learned about the world of physical work from the adults in his life, especially his Uncle Frank.

Dealing with a control freak

March 9, 2022
Victims of a control freak’s actions may ponder how to get the person to change. Playing armchair mental health professional, though, does not usually help. Rather, a better strategy for those confronting this issue might be figuring out how to coexist. Here are some suggestions.

7 podcasts to up your negotiation game

March 9, 2022
As podcasts have grown into a larger and more dominant media landscape, many of us are taking advantage of the vast and varied resources of knowledge they can provide. Below are some of the most popular programs focused on negotiations.

Break negotiation down to its most basic meaning

March 9, 2022
In the book Negotiating Life, author Jeswald Salacuse deconstructs the term. Derived from two Latin words, its literal meaning is “not leisure.”