Negotiation Innovation

Our interactions can always be better. Lately I've noticed that many of our interactions are strained because of anxiety and isolation. This podcasts examines the interactions and suggests four steps to address that strain for the better. Bonus material, I'll teach you how to navigate a four-way stop.

Everyone prepares for a negotiation. But the way you prepare can have a big impact on the process and the outcomes. In this episode, I describe a preparation method that addresses, the Why (Interests and Gains) for your negotiation, the What (the information, both known and unknown), and the How (value creation through interdependence). Consistently applying this method for preparation will have a positive impact on your negotiations.

This episode looks back at some things we have learned in the five months of working from home. I focus on on some the positives and negatives of virtual human interaction with some suggestions for successfully managing your virtual negotiations. The original episode that addresses virtual negotiation was published on March 12, 2020 (if you want to go back and listen - you do. Go back... Listen.).

There is a win-lose dichotomy in society and business. Either you are a winner, or you are a loser. Much of the time your previous training in negotiation, whether that is formal training or experiential training, focuses on the position that you are trying to achieve. The position is the actualization of the real reason that you are negotiating. It is one way, based on your biases, to achieve the desired end state. The struggle comes from not understanding that there is something beneath and behind the position called the interest. This episode brings together some of the ideas from the past five episodes to present a holistic strategy to understand and articulate your interest, and achieve more from your interactions.

One of the most overlooked aspects of our negotiations, but also one of the most powerful aspects, are concessions. Understanding and using concessions to move the negotiation toward better outcomes is an advanced skill. In this episode I talk about some strategies to use concessions to add value to your outcome.

Making two changes in the way you approach your negotiation can have a big impact. Control your motivation going in and the emotional content during the interaction and you can dramatically impact trust, your relationship, and your outcomes. This episode talks about some strategy to help you manage these two important aspects of your negotiation. 

Whether you approach your negotiation with a munificence or a scarcity mindset makes a big difference in the creativity of the outcome, the positions you take, the information you share, and your outcome. This episode will help you understand your mindset, and the consequences it carries.

Once you have your goals identified, the negotiation doesn't get easier. You need to understand the goals of the other parties and work to satisfy those goals if you really want to be a great negotiator. In this episode I compare some of the older theories about negotiation to current understanding, to give you an advantage as a deal maker.

The right goals in your negotiation can impact the outcome for all involved. You need to understand the importance of empathy and perspective taking in your negotiation to maximize your outcomes. This episode focuses on the importance of that understanding for leveraging your interdependence to gain.

I get a benefit from my skin color and heritage from this world. This has to stop. Our interactions would be better in all instances if people received the same treatment, rather than the systemic injustice pervasive in the world today. These are some ideas about how to address the problem.