“What should I do if he asks if I have the authority to agree to his figure?” one seminar participant asked me. “If I truthfully answer yes, then he’ll probably just stick to that amount and not move. If I answer no, it would be a lie.” “Excellent question,” I...
“John, you’re going to have to do better than that if you want this company,” said the New York investment banker. “We’ve got a higher offer from one of your competitors.” “How much better, and who made it?” John responded. “I can’t say as we have a confidentiality...
“I don’t trust him,” he told me. “He’s lied in the past and will do it again. But I have to deal with him. What should I do?” First, understand the role that trust plays in negotiations. According to Roger Fisher, co-author of “Getting to Yes,” trust is a matter of...
“I don’t really care much about the job security and health benefits of my soon-to-be ex-employees,” this business owner told her chief negotiator. “My financial bottom line is far more important to me. But John (our potential purchaser) doesn’t know this. So tell him...
“I agreed to his requested discounts and his changes to the lease terms but he hasn’t signed yet. Then I got a call from another possible tenant – and I am pretty sure this one will pay our full rate without any discounts. What should I do from a negotiation...
In the original hit CBS series “Survivor,” 16 participants started out on an island together and, one by one, they voted off their colleagues until only one remained. That “Survivor” won, taking home the $1 million prize. How did he win? His strategy largely revolved...
We’ve all seen the pictures of negotiators sitting at the table — one team facing off against the other. Importantly, each team almost always includes at least several individuals. Often, in fact, each team includes multiple players, each of whom may play a...
“She has the power to make or break us. It would be great if we get the patent. But if we don’t, it will be a serious problem for the defensibility of our product. How do we increase our likelihood of success?” A critical issue here – how to negotiate with government...
“I feel like I’m a pretty effective negotiator,” he said. “Of course, there’s always room to improve, but I’m fairly sure I’m not leaving much on the table. Unfortunately, I don’t have the same confidence in my team....
