In 1938, psychologist Gregory Razran found that his subjects developed a more favorable view of the people and things they experienced while they were eating – a result Razran coined as the “luncheon technique.” So the next time you have an important negotiation,...
Most of us have a strong desire to appear consistent. Consistency is valued in our society and is associated with other positive traits like honesty, stability and intelligence. Similarly, most of us will go to great lengths to fulfill our commitments....
Here is an example of counterparts in a negotiation beginning the “standards dance” – when the parties identify the most favorable independent standards justifying their position and then negotiate over which is the most fair and reasonable. Community Health Systems...
Derek Jeter recently signed a three-year contract worth up to $65 million to continue playing baseball for the New York Yankees. At the official announcement, Jeter expressed anger that the Yankees had asked him to “go shop” himself to other teams even though Jeter...
As I finish up my holiday cards, I’m reminded of a story from Robert Cialdini’s book, Influence: Science and Practice, about a university professor who sent holiday cards to a group of strangers to see what, if any, response he would get. Amazingly, cards “came...
A New York Times article about a proposed buyout of J. Crew mentioned that several potential suitors “have been studying J. Crew’s books.” Obviously, when deciding to potentially spend $3 billion, completing your due diligence is of utmost importance. Unfortunately,...
NBA player Jared Dudley recently tweeted, “I need all NBA players to save there (sic) money. Be prepared to live without a check for at least a year. This is serious.” Jared is referring to the possibility that the players may be locked out by the owners next...
In Marquette University law professor Andrea Kupfer Schneider’s 2002 study evaluating lawyers’ negotiation styles, the most effective negotiators were described by their peers as (among other things): 1. Ethical 2. Experienced 3. Personable 4. Rational...
I’m a naturally curious person. When I meet new people I like to find out what they do, where they’re from, what they like and what makes them tick. This trait helps in my negotiations. Honest rapport building is important because it helps build trust and facilitates...
