I have been studying and practicing Negotiation for three decades. For much of that time I have understood the power of asking good questions. In the last few weeks I attended a breakfast being delivered by one of my colleagues, Stephen Kozicki, and discovered a great negotiation question.
Read MoreAs more companies move from sales management to account management, we regularly get asked "how can we measure improved strategic relationships?" In sales management, we are focused on the short term so typically we measure sales results and sales prospects in dollars. Yet if we are serious about developing strategic relationships, then the results will typically being to appear between 18 and 24 months after we start behaving strategically.
Read MoreYou are different, there's nobody just like you. So, how can we be persuaded in predictable ways? Well, there's a one word answer: process. We can all be persuaded in predictable ways by using a process. This process needs to be based on understanding the psychology of persuasion.
Read MoreAll of us have been in a negotiation that has ended with a much better outcome and greater satisfaction than predicted with the result based on how well we communicated with the other person. I have the great privilege of working on 'live deals' all over the world and get observe many great negotiators.
My research observations in these live scenarios would suggest quite strongly that the way a negotiator 'frames' their communication has a direct and substantial impact on the outcome of the deal.
Read MoreOne of the triggers for changing your organisation is time. Whether you realise it or not, when you design your organisation you build it to suit a timescale. The timescale for many organisations is the month. Every month your report sales, margins and profits. Doesn't everybody?
Let's look at how time affects your organisational design.
Read MoreRecently, I worked with a team on a live negotiation with a private hospital. The deal was for medical supplies and drugs worth about $25 million a year for a three-year contract.
During the preparation I noticed two behaviours in the team. First, team members could not focus on preparation. The culprit being constantly handling their smart phones. Second, how quickly the team’s energy levels dropped during the day.
Read MoreWe are all busy, too short of time with our too long to-do lists.
When I suggest spend some time preparing to persuade, some people roll their eyes. They have too little time without taking more time to persuade. So, they will do nothing or ....
Read MoreThis week, a manager asked me: “what should my account managers be doing today?” My answer was, I don’t know exactly what they should do today. But at the end of the month, I call tell you exactly how you know if they are doing their job.
Read MoreJuly 13th, 2015: Greece has a deal, or has it?
When you read the fine print, there are many conditions and many qualifications which the seven-page statement from the summit says are: “our minimum requirements to start negotiations with the Greek authorities”. So, the multi-party negotiations are not over and will continue probably for months.
Read MoreYou will at times have problems with your major accounts or an issue will arise at a critical negotiation; re-think your approach and frame your response in possibilities and not what can’t be done.
Read MoreIn a world of information overload and so many different points of view, it can be hard to cut through the noise and figure out what's useful. For salespeople and account managers, an emerging theme recently is the concept of the challenger approach.
Read MoreWe went from Australia to New York, Krakow, Warsaw, Paris, London, Dubai and then back to Sydney. The preparation for 5 people to travel that distance in a month was extraordinary.
However, it also meant that as problems arose, as they did, we were able to change our mind quickly, because of the preparation. Often working on live negotiations the more we prepare, the more we play with ‘what if’ possible solutions. The more we role play, the more we test possible ways of dealing with problems. This means that we can start negotiations not focused on stated positions, but examining the common ground that exists between all parties. We become a problem solver and solutions happen quicker.
Read MoreIf you’re considering implementing SAM but aren’t sure if it’s right for your business, then here is a real example of how SAM has increased results and transformed an already successful company.
Read MoreFarm life has many lessons for the agile negotiator. As some of you know, my wife, 3 daughters and I own a farm 2 hours of north of Sydney in the beautiful Hunter Valley. It is a lifestyle farm of nearly 13 acres, river frontage and a handmade timber and mud-brick house. A great place to recharge and reflect on life. It also helps to have one of the most popular vineyards in the Hunter Valley, Camyr Allyn, http://www.camyrallynwines.com.au/ just up the road.
Read MoreTell more stories to persuade. If you have attended our persuading for results workshop, you will have experienced the power of stories. At the end of day one we ask participants to come to day 2 ready to tell a story about themselves.
Read MoreThere are four relentless market trends impacting how B2B companies do business. These market trends are long-term, and impact the top and bottom lines of B2B companies around the world.
Read MoreI have been approached a couple of times in the last couple of weeks for information on where clients can attend public programs on Negotiation. We are pleased to announce we are now presenting these programs through UTS.
Read MoreBefore confronting someone you want to persuade to take a different view of the world whether it’s your parents, or a key customer or supplier: take a deep breath. Most people have fallen into the speed trap when wanting to influence someone else and jumped in too quickly without really preparing their message.
Read MoreWelcome, and yes we are now in the Year of The Goat and the goat comes 8th in the Chinese zodiac calendar.
Most searches of the meaning of the year of the goat is centred on people who are calm, well-mannered and live peaceful existence. The Year of the Goat will be anything but calm and peaceful for you and your strategic accounts.
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How does one transform a sometimes hostile, high stakes negotiation into an empathic process of cooperation? That question has puzzled and frustrated negotiators for decades. A while ago, I sat down for a chat about preparing for high stakes negotiations with Stephen Kozicki, best-selling author, business educator and Australia’s leading specialist in breakthrough business strategies. How he handles high-stakes negotiations will most likely change the way you think about role-play simulation.
By Soren Malmborg
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