Thoughts and Insights by Michael Gregory

What should you look for in a negotiation coach?

All too often we try to do things by ourselves. The old axiom on the American way is that “we should pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps”. Well that may work well with boots, but it takes a village to enhance skills. This is especially true when it comes to soft skills, or what I refer to as the critical skills.

This is how to negotiate and motivate millennials

This article focuses on some basic elements that have proven successful and are forcing businesses to change how they hire, train and retain top talent. Millennials are driven to succeed when they are treated with respect, with an employer that is focused on its workers, with management is transparent and most importantly when there is a collaborative environment. It’s not that complex, but it takes effort to make these things happen. It doesn’t just happen.

Here are three great ideas to help you in a negotiation

You have read about negotiation. You have practiced techniques. You are prepared. You have researched the other party on social media. You are ready to work on developing a great relationship. You believe you are ready to actively listen before beginning to educate the other party. You are looking for a win-win negotiation so that you can create value. Here are three other items to allow you to step up your game.

Want to know how to turn a crises with another party into a collaboration?

This article addresses how to turn a crises into a collaboration. We can learn from hostage negotiators and their success rate is phenomenal. So what can you do to help yourself when you feel like you are in a crises with someone else?

Ten Steps for an Interest-Based Resolution

From the book Peaceful Resolutions a summary of one of the steps to resolving conflict is a free six sided pocket guide (that fits in your pocket).  One of the six sides of the tri-fold pocket guide offers Ten Steps for an Interest-Based Resolution.  This 10 step summary process is elaborated on in this text. 

What are the right kind of questions to ask in a negotiation?

In a negotiation each party enters into the negotiation with a position and series of interests. How we explore those interests goes a long way towards reaching a mutually acceptable alternative with the other party. Asking key questions appropriately makes a real difference in the outcome.

Five tips to help resolve conflicts with customers and staff

As someone who concentrates on resolving conflict, negotiating winning solutions and inspiring leaders I want to offer you some relatively simple tips to help make the start of the new year better for you related to potential conflicts with customers and staff. You are not alone. Consider this commentary and reach out to mentors to explore how these or similar ideas may work best for you in your situation.

Lessons learned from positive, negative encounters

This article summarizes lessons learned from interviews from 30 executives on lessons learned from positive and negative encounters.  We all can learn from these.

This is the way to enhance your reputation at the bargaining table

What do you think? Does a reputation for collaboration or for competition suggest an advantage at the bargaining table?  We both know you cannot control what others say about you, but you can control what you do and how you do it. You only have one reputation and once that is tarnished you are in trouble. So what type of reputation should you try to cultivate?

Will You Make the Right Decision When Deciding on a Contractor?

The point at which the buyer’s lowest price and the seller’s highest point are the same is called the reservation point.  Is that the only thing that matters in a negotiation?  I offer an example from a recent experience with a roofing contractor that I think we can all learn from.