Thoughts and Insights by Michael Gregory

Here are practical ideas on leading your team through change

Here are some best practices that I wanted to share with you. These are provided so that you can use them to help manage change where you work. This is an overview. You have to realize that you have to address emotions. That is yours and your team’s.

Tailor made negotiations with employees

Every workplace has its own culture. Some involve greater or lessor degrees of negotiation between employer and employees. Employees tend to want to negotiate personal solutions. Examples are adjustments to schedule, travel, training, developmental assignments, and other similar areas.  These are individually or group based. In all instances these are issues important from the employee’s perspective.   How should these be handled?

This is how to develop trust in a negotiation

How much should you trust the other party in a negotiation. If you trust to much chances are you may be burned. If you don’t trust enough chances are you may lose out on a great opportunity. The old adage trust, but verify makes sense. It is necessary to verify how much trust may be appropriate.

Does Conflict Resolution Really Work at Work?

Whenever two people are involved with anything, it is only natural to expect that at some point there may be different perspectives that could lead to conflict. This is only natural. We often think if I could make all of the decisions, the world would be a better place. Then we reflect and realize I don’t have all the answers. We need others and we need their ideas. This article focuses on different types of conflict resolution at work.

How Do You Negotiate Closure in a Negotiation?

Closure is not an add on at the end.

Want to be an outstanding communicator? Close your mouth.

It sounds to easy, but really the best communicators know when to keep their mouths shut and really listen. Rather than trying to promote themselves, an idea or a position, they focus on truly trying to understand. Sometimes we simply need to be heard. Often times that is the best solution to simply listen to the other party and help them to sort out their solution.

This is how to improve your day based on 10 tips from neuroscience

Do you want to feel better, be more productive and have more fun?  Researching some recent articles and blogs I wanted to share some great ideas with you. Here is a list of ten items of relatively simple activities that any of us could apply to improve our day. See if any of these may work for you. You don’t have to take on the entire list. See if one or two might work for you.  If any of these work for you simply write them down and test them out as action item(s) to improve your day.

This is how your bias impacts negotiations and conflict resolution

Cognitive bias is defined as “a systemic error in thinking that impacts one’s choices and judgments”. We are all shaped by our experiences good and bad. We learn from these experiences. However, we can also reinforce, learn from others, and teach ourselves things that are not true. When that happens, our thinking is impaired. This article focuses on how cognitive bias negatively impacts serious negotiations and conflict resolution. The article also offers what we can do about it.

Overcome potential conflicts before the next economic downturn by building collaborative relationships now

The Harvard Business Review (HBR) is suggesting now is the time to plan for the next economic downturn. Leading economic indicators are pointing downward. When an economic downturn takes place and you are in the thick of it, you will need to focus on tactics and day to day operations.  Now is the time to plan, be proactive and collaborate with key stakeholders.

This is how to build trust in a negotiation

Trust is a two-way street. Trust can be built and trust can be earned. This article focuses on how you can both build trust and earn trust in a negotiation.