“I left a fortune on the table because I went against my instincts in that negotiation,” a highly successful businessman and real estate developer told me recently. “Yet I know it’s critical to negotiate strategically and not just rely on your...
Olympic snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis blew the gold medal just as she was about to cross the finish line and bring one home for the United States. Why? A little showboating for the crowd. And much has been written about Olympic skier Bode Miller and his seeming lack...
January 1st of every year brings many personal and business resolutions — eat healthier, stop smoking, be a better boss. In the business world, few skills will more effectively help you achieve your new resolutions than your negotiation ability. So here are four...
The New Year always provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year and make resolutions for the next. Here are four of my negotiation-related reflections and resolutions that can help us all as we negotiate in 2009. • Set goals and design a strategy to accomplish...
“I’m having trouble sleeping at night worrying about this negotiation. While it’s not a huge deal, it’s just really bothering me. What do you recommend?” Here is my advice to get some peace of mind and increase your likelihood of getting...
I recently flew to Washington, D.C., and Sen. John McCain was on the same flight (in coach, too). Since he has a well-deserved reputation over the years for taking a lead role in successfully negotiating bipartisan compromises on a number of difficult issues, I asked...
I was recently asked by a client to share my favorite negotiation-related quotes, so here they are plus some thoughts on each. “The single most powerful tool for winning a negotiation is the ability to walk away from the table without a deal.“ – Harvey Mackay,...
I recently asked two very successful negotiators for their top three most effective negotiation strategies. The first, Chip Fisher, is a long-time investment banker. The other, who asked for confidentiality, is the President of a large public company in the Midwest....
Harvard Law Professor Roger Fisher, a giant in the negotiation field who co-wrote the bestseller Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, passed away last week. As someone who studied under him and who still teaches his core concepts, I believe it’s...
I recently asked one of the best negotiators I know – a lawyer for over 50 years – for his single most critical pearl of negotiating wisdom. This lawyer, who happens to be my 82-year-old Dad, surprised me by saying it was something he only really focused on relatively...
The negotiation lasted 20 years, involved a brilliant business visionary against a very difficult personality, and resulted in two excellent movies, including one of the most iconic movies ever. The negotiation was between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, the author of...
What can we learn from jazz musicians about negotiation? Seemingly little. Yet a new book on negotiation by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Wheeler, The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World, makes a compelling case that jazz and...
