Thoughts and Insights by Michael Gregory

This is how to collaborate with difficult people

We all have to work with others we find difficult to work with at some point.

Profitability and Timing – This is why they matter

I recently finished the book, When, The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, by Daniel H. Pink and then I conducted some additional research on this topic. The commentary that follows is put together in an effort to help you think about timing and how this can impact your and others’ stress and productivity. It also has a direct impact on the bottom line. This also ties into my primary focus on overcoming conflict with collaboration.

Collaboration is key to a great agreement

This is common sense, but not everyone has the same amount of common sense.  At the end of this article the Program on Negotiation at the Harvard Law School provides additional commentary on this topic.  What is a great agreement?  Is that one when you win as much as you can?  It can be argued that instead, a great agreement is when both parties mutually create a much better agreement than either would have crafted by themselves.  Think about having a larger pie may be the better outcome for you and the other party than simply having a larger piece or even the entire smaller pie. This concept has been proven time and time again to be the best approach to a truly great agreement.

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.

This is How Negative Emotions Impact Negotiations

When we are angry, we flood our body with various chemicals and hormones. That can be very negative in a business setting. This article addresses how to address anger or sadness in a negotiation.

Here are the last four of seven ways to be more persuasive based on neuroscience

The first three ways to be more persuasive base on neuroscience were presented in this blog on November 19, 2018. Given the length of the blog here are the last four for closure. Enjoy! What are the influences that persuade us to change are minds?  Tali Sharot is the author of a new book entitled The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others that offers some great ideas.  She suggests seven key thoughts on this topic that I found very insightful that I thought you may find interesting too.  Here are the last four:

Here are the first three of seven ways to be more persuasive based on neuroscience

What are the influences that persuade us to change our minds? Tali Sharot is the author of a new book entitled The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others . She offers some great ideas. She suggests seven key thoughts on this topic that I found very insightful. I thought you may find these interesting too. 

This is how to make a deal in business

These are the key points to making a deal in business. After reading a report on Dealmaking from the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation and doing some additional research, I wanted to share these insights with you and at the end provide you with access to the free 28-page report.

When should you not be transparent when developing trust?

Trust is critical in a negotiation, mediation or collaboration. Trust can be defined as being straightforward, open, accepting and responsible, but when are times when you should not be open? That is the focus of this commentary.

This is how to make your life amazing

From the bestselling author, Eric Barker, Barking up the Wrong Tree, I wanted to share with you his blog on This is how to make your life amazing: In short he offers these five points for your consideration: “"Career Wellbeing": Be engaged. Use your strengths. Hide from your boss. "Social Wellbeing": Spend time with the good people, not with the bad people. "Financial Wellbeing": Usually it's not about how much you have, it's about how you feel about what you have. Increasing the prior two factors prevents you from negatively comparing yourself to others. "Physical Wellbeing": Exercise, eat right and get your sleep, obviously. As we all know in our heart of hearts, feeling sexy is important. Restaurant choices can matter more than food choices. "Community Wellbeing": Helping others helps you. Therefore, helping me helps you. Why don't you call more often?