Negotiation Columns & Blogs

What should you do if your counterpart asks you a tough question about strategically important information you don’t want to share, like what’s your bottom line or authority?  I would never recommend lying – it’s morally wrong and you will be far less effective if you...

The Street reported today that ConAgra told Ralcorp it would “walk away from its $5.2 billion takeover bid” if Ralcorp doesn’t agree to begin negotiating by September 19th. The threat of a walkout is a tactic usually used for one or more of the following reasons: 1)...

A Huffington Post Business article about contract talks between the United Auto Workers and Chrysler and Ford mentioned that the union had already reached a deal with General Motors which would serve as “a template for the other two companies.” This is a great example...

The NBA owners and players are at impasse in their current collective bargaining negotiation.  The last formal proposals had the players seeking 53 percent of NBA revenues with the owners offering 47 percent.  It was reported today that Commissioner David Stern...

In a New York Times post about the success of recent high-profile entrepreneurs at retaining equity in their companies, Steven Davidoff concludes “[t]hese entrepreneurs appear more savvy than earlier Internet moguls, but their success owes thanks in large part to an...

In a recent Business Insider article, the author summarizes a recent Gartner talk as follows: The four big software vendors - Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and SAP - have hidden motives that customers need to understand, otherwise they might be pushed into buying products...

The shopping madness exhibited on Black Friday is a great example of the power of social proof.  Social proof is the psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others reflect correct behavior for a given situation. Retailers have obviously exploited...

ExpertNegotiator offers a variety of free resources to help you improve your negotiation skills: 1. You can sign up to receive Marty Latz’s monthly Arizona Republic negotiation column by completing and submitting the Get FREE Negotiation Tips form...

The seasonal college football head coaching carousel is in full swing.  These coaches, like coaches and players at the professional level, are typically represented by agents. Why?  And when should you hire an agent to represent you in a negotiation?  Here are four...

A headline from yesterday’s Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School’s blog posed the question, “In negotiation, does personality matter?” Our answer is, of course, “yes.”  How we and our counterparts instinctively approach conflict impacts our ability to...

Ryan Seacrest’s contract to serve as the host of Fox Entertainment’s “American Idol” television show expires after this season and the parties are in the process of negotiating a new deal.  Seacrest has hosted the program since its debut in 2002. Concurrently,...

In my January Arizona Republic column, I pointed out the importance of considering your non-financial goals and interests. The negotiation between Jeff Fisher, former head coach of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, and the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams regarding their...

Concerned that you may not be able to trust your negotiation counterpart to follow through on their promises? Here are four ways to minimize your risk: 1. Evaluate the risk of trusting your counterpart The bigger the deal and the greater the risk, the more you will...

In last week’s blog, I pointed out that the perception of how much we need something in comparison to how much our counterpart needs it – a critical component of leverage - is fluid and that timing is a critical component to negotiating the best possible deal. The...

After a lengthy and highly publicized courtship involving several teams, Peyton Manning has signed a contract with the NFL’s Denver Broncos worth up to $96 million over five years.  Visits with the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, in addition to the Broncos,...