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NegotiatingTips

  1. Negotiated commitments are what each side agreed to do or not do. Commitments should be Practical, Durable, Understood by all, & Verifiable.
  2. Commitment is what each side agreed that it will do or not do. Commitments should be Practical, Durable, Understood by all, & Verifiable.
  3. Leverage real deadlines and defend against arbitrary ones in your negotiations. See public example here: bit.ly/L38G2X
  4. Greek debt crisis holds lessons for us in multi-level multi-party negotiations. bit.ly/LMONP6
  5. Lessons from four U.S. presidents and how they picked negotiating strategies to fit the situration. bit.ly/JreJuo
  6. Negotiators must be adept at handling difficult people. Read this article in Psychology Today to get some pointers. bit.ly/JPXgPm
  7. Negotiators must be adept at handling difficult people. Read High Art of Handling Problem People in Psychology Today. bit.ly/JPXgPm
  8. Your negotiating goals are definable, measurable, attainable, aligned with internally stakeholder buy-in, and aligned with the market.
  9. Take no as a question -- not an answer.
  10. When using an agent, never tell your agent how high or low you are willing to accept. They only need to know your opening offer.
  11. If you keep repeating yourself you aren't negotiating, you're arguring. Negotiating is about moving. So make, manage and link concessions.
  12. Build rapport through common bonds and experience: alma mater, love of food, favorite sport or team, countries visited, lower back pain, etc
  13. Rapport is critical: when possible, meet in person to take advantage of the power of eye contact and body language. Engage in small talk.
  14. Take a negotiating risk: Ask, "Is there any flexibility on that?" where you usually don’t negotiate. Try it at work, at home, in the mall.
  15. Take note -- negotiators DO judge a book by its cover. bit.ly/ydLiA2
  16. Identifying emotions is a first step to resolving difficult negotiations. bit.ly/wYKSxk
  17. The 2011 Acadamy Awards nominees are out but our Best Picture for Negotiating Practice is still True Grit from 2010. bit.ly/y4cX7B
  18. When the other party says no to your offer your most powerful response is simply to ask Why or Why Not. – with sincere curiosity.
  19. Don't anchor yourself: When preparing for a negotiation, remember to DEVELOP your opening proposal first - before your Goal and walk-away.
  20. When attempting to defuse conflict, the most effective style across a broad range of cultures is to do this tactfully and in small groups.