I have come across some incredibly arrogant know-it-alls in my career, a bunch of whom had the intellectual chops to back it up, but others who were just posers. Either way, their attitude turned off everyone around them and limited their opportunities and choices in...
I am shocked that music legend Prince died in 2016 without a will. This resulted in legal and administrative expenses of over $85 million out of an estate valued at around $156 million and a massive tax bill. Wow! And while I don’t feel badly for his heirs – who still...
I apologize to anyone who doesn’t like Mel Brooks (is this even possible?) – but I found his negotiation stories irresistible. And we can all learn invaluable lessons from them. So here are 3 more in Part 3, the final chapter (I promise). For those who missed Part 1...
I know Mel Brooks did not make a History of the World, Part 2 – but I found too many great stories illustrating negotiation lessons to leave his own history of negotiations at Part 1. So here are three more from his autobiography All About Me! My Remarkable Life in...
Blazing Saddles. Young Frankenstein. The Producers. History of the World, Part 1. Spaceballs. High Anxiety. Mel Brooks created some of the world’s funniest movies, including several of my all-time favorites. But I never associated him or his movies with negotiation....
Does success at your job require top-notch negotiation skills? Are you in sales, purchasing/procurement, business development or customer service? Are you a lawyer, business consultant, executive, investment banker, or private equity partner? Does your job require you...
He swore at me in front of my client. I was really surprised. I was a young lawyer at the time, and he was the opposing counsel and managing partner of a prominent law firm. I had requested documents that his associate had promised, and that my client had flown in to...
We just returned from a family trip to Japan, and I couldn’t help but consider some of the culturally different negotiation approaches – and the lessons we can learn from them. Here are three. Of course, these are broad and general tendencies. And exceptions abound,...
We recently solicited bids to repaint our house from three residential painters/painting companies, all of whom came recommended by friends or family. We also requested bids for an upcoming home renovation. (Yes – our house needs some work!). Despite having gone...
