Why negotiate on value?

I recently ran a four-day negotiating skills conference in Australia for a group of senior marketing managers and representatives; the group were highly motivated. They were working in an interesting market, and they were keen to find creative ways to negotiate. The conference was as stimulating for me as it was for them.

During a break, one of the participants approached me “What you say is interesting,” he said, “but I have to ask something. Why do you bother to go on with a negotiation if the other side is stuck on price and won’t move?”

Negotiation, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki1 November 2019Negotiation, Creativity, ValueComment

How to avoid overconfidence when managing major accounts?

A key to long term success is how well an organisation transforms to manage strategic accounts differently. Recently, we worked with a CEO of a large global client who decided the way of the future was managing their most important accounts in a structured way. Our recommended approach, which was not accepted, was completing a structural internal audit to see how they currently managed strategic accounts and then interviewing a few of their top accounts.

Value Creation in Major Accounts in the Digital Era!

Value with your strategic accounts means focusing on the concept of joint value creation between a strategic supplier and a key account. The joint value creation process often impacts both growth and strategic relationships.

Speed Kills - Festina Lente!

Shakespeare wrote about time; others think about time, and many complain about how time is racing them by. However, few people do anything to make the best use of time when negotiating. Time management is important because the outcome of any negotiation is dependent upon how well you have used your time before you deliver your message during the deal.

Negotiation, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki14 August 2019Negotiating, Time, Agility, Account ManagementComment

Impossible Problems can be solved if you see a different future!

In the last blog, we looked at the Impossible Problem Innovation Model® and started to deconstruct the concept of an impossible problem.

Let’s continue that focus because too quickly, people bypass the concept of clarity around a problem or opportunity. If you want to innovate and solve an impossible problem or leverage a fantastic opportunity you need to put in the work upfront to make that happen.

Business Problems, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki6 August 2019Problem Solving, Innovation, Implementation, ActionComment

Change drives success in Managing Major Accounts

Everything written about managing major accounts strategically has one theme: it’s not a marketing or sales campaign, it’s a leadership initiative driven by the C-Suite.

The overarching key to long-term success is how well the organisation changes to manage strategic accounts differently.

Are there Negotiation Archetypes, and why should I care?

Twenty years ago, one of the favourite words used by business gurus and keynote speakers at conferences was – a paradigm shift. Today you would think it is a button on a Tesla motor car. Now, a new hot word has appeared – archetype!

People ask at conferences or meetings are there negotiation archetypes? The answer is yes.

Persuasion Requires Endurance!

Most of us can remember where we were when events, both good and bad, have happened in the world. Or remember being in the audience for a great or inspirational speech. Some remember a show or musical that fed the soul or just made you laugh to the point of tears. I still remember how elated I was seeing the Lion King for the first time in London. Or more recently being dragged by my cousin to see the Book of Mormon, irreverent, but very funny.

Persuasion, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki11 June 2019Persuasion, Persuading for Results, Bad NewsComment

The pace of change produces problems for you to solve - locally and globally!

Global industries and local communities struggle with the pace of change. Typically, the pace of change is reducing resources like time, money and people. Reducing resources creates difficult problems that appear to be impossible to solve, what we call impossible problems. In local and global marketplaces, impossible problems occur for organisations and for individuals. For all these impossible problems, we need brave individuals to take action to solve the problems and then implement the solutions.

Persuasion Requires Focus – May the Force be With You!

Whether you are a Star Wars fan or not, Yoda shared some great insights in the Star War movies that will stand the test of time. When it comes to focus his quote is a gem, with persuasion it has 100% applicability to your success – do, or do not.

Persuasion, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki14 May 2019Persuasion, Persuading for Results, Focus, Clarity, Action, PracticeComment

Competitive Markets Need Courage to Succeed!

What does it mean to have courage when you need to deal with tough competitive market conditions and digital disruption affecting your market share?

Are your leadership team SAM sponsors for top accounts?

In these challenging times, if you are looking for ideas to improve your business, then best companies focus on their greatest asset — their most strategically important accounts.

Negotiation Teams need a Vision!

I recently had the pleasure of being on a panel discussion in Australia on the impact of human intelligence (Hi) and artificial intelligence (Ai) and creating a competitive edge by combining both. The main question is always “where do we start”? Start with your strategic goals. Ai and Hi are most successful when you use them to solve a problem or leverage an opportunity. A key message was - technology is an enabler, but success depends on leader’s ability to use technology and people together.

Leadership Drives Growth in Major Accounts

Often when I speak about the power of growth through a company’s major accounts, managers ask what is the secret or short cut to success? My answer disappoints, there is no short cut.

Organisations must be Negotiation Ready!

“Where do we start?” The strategic direction of organisations are most effective when solving problems or leveraging opportunities.

Over the last few years, around the world, I’ve been fortunate to have researched and delivered some negotiation workshops on how and why organisations need to develop teams of negotiators and not just individual stars.

Negotiation, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki5 March 2019Negotiation, Focus, Teams, Distributive NegotiationComment

Negotiators Need a Framework and Need to be Stress Tested

Some companies and industries are slowing down for their summer holidays and end of year celebrations. However, in other industries like the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, January is busy with training and planning for 2019. Last week, a manager asked, “How do teams prepare for negotiations with major accounts?”

Negotiation, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki10 December 2018negotiation, Simulation, Negotiation Framework, ValueComment

Share Account Management Results Internally!

We’ve worked with global companies embedding account management frameworks and these companies continue to be successful. What drives that success?

Passion Drives Practice - Practice Drives Success!

Over the past 25 years, as I have worked with individuals, teams and companies on how to be persuasive in front of groups to buy your message, I am always asked the quickest way to be successful.

My comment is always the same, have a solid process behind your message and practice, practice, and then more practice.

Persuasion, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki29 October 2018Persuasion, Persuading for Results, Preparation, Practice, PresentationComment

Managing your most strategic customers requires faster and smarter decisions

You live in changing times, and your decisions with your strategic accounts need to be faster, smarter and relevant to key decision makers.

The Negotiator's Dilemma: Ai or Hi®

As humans, how do we change our minds? How do we change our behaviour to negotiate for a new product or a new service? Like it or not we need to change because of artificial intelligence (Ai).

In 2015 the world of Ai changed forever because for some tasks the accuracy of Ai now exceeded the accuracy of humans. After this change, many leaders and industries realised that there was now an urgency to change.

Negotiation, Stephen KozickiStephen Kozicki17 September 2018Artificial Intelligence, Human Intelligence, NegotiationComment