As we put 2020 in our rearview mirror, here’s my annual list of lessons learned and a reminder to put these strategies into practice in 2021. You won’t get better results unless you implement them. Each guiding principle also has a link to my column with more...
My wife says I’m driving her crazy. I’ve been cooped up working from home and off the road since mid-March, a common predicament during this pandemic. I typically travel around 10 days a month doing in person keynotes and training programs. Not now. It’s all online. ...
The murder of George Floyd in my hometown of Minneapolis – which I always considered a bastion of tolerance – “Minnesota nice,” right? – recently led to an interesting discussion I had about racial discrimination with a female lawyer friend who grew...
I couldn’t believe it. Years ago, I was practicing law at a large firm and I used to regularly get research assignments – by email – from the partner whose office was right next to mine. He couldn’t even deign to walk a few feet to give me the assignment...
Don’t Cut to the Chase — Prepare for Your Negotiations A small business owner with a huge potential opportunity in a negotiation with a large company contacted me recently and asked how to respond to the company’s request that he make them an offer. He told me...
Let’s say you’re sitting at your desk Monday morning, your telephone rings, and it’s Jane, opposing counsel in one of your cases, calling to see if you might be interested in discussing the offer she e-mailed you last week. Because you’re mostly up-to-speed on it, you...
Keeping with the “Top Ten” theme from last week, here are my Top Ten Impasse-Breaking Strategies: 1. Get or share more information 2. Switch objective criteria 3. Prioritize needs and interests 4. Brainstorm options 5. Set deadlines 6. Temporarily put...
Why should you use objective criteria to support your moves or offers and concessions in a negotiation? Because we derive power and legitimacy from the perception that our standards and criteria are based on objective, independent factors. If our positions are based...
The Phoenix Coyotes professional hockey franchise is facing a bankruptcy court auction this week. One likely bidder is Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of Research In Motion (which makes the Blackberry). He wants to relocate the team to Ontario, a move opposed by the NHL. While...
