Thoughts and Insights by Michael Gregory

Does Caffeine Make Us Smarter?

I happened upon an article about coffee that is available at the end of this blog.  That got me to thinking, does caffeine make us smarter?  That depends on a number of things including how we define smarter and some analysis of what caffeine does to our brains.  Having researched this a little further I wanted to share this with you.  

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.

This is how to close the deal in a negotiation

In some negotiations it seems like the deal will never close. This can be a technique used by one side to wear down the participants of the other side, it could be the result of factors beyond the control of participants or something else that you may never know. This commentary addresses such a situation, when you need or want to close the deal and the other side does not. What should you do? This article addresses this question.

This is how to be happy at work and life

hen we are happier at work, we are more engaged, more productive and we have a sense of purpose. In short there is no one right answer, because we all define happiness a little differently, but with a shift in our thinking we can have a sense of purpose, be engaged, have greater resilience, and be kinder to others.

This is one way to manage conflict at work

Often when two parties are in a conflict with one another, one party feels more aggrieved than another. At other times the conflict is symmetric and both parties feel equal coming into a negotiation. This commentary addresses how to evaluate the situation when the situation is asymmetric and what can be done when one party feels very aggrieved and the other does not share in this perception.

This is how you build trust at the bargaining table in business

Here are some very specific ideas to help you in any negotiation. You begin your investigation into the parties and process as a first step. Your goal is to build a good and as solid a relationship as possible. 

This is how to listen better with difficult people

You know how it is. You have been to training and you know that you are supposed to do. You are supposed to listen. You are supposed to be empathetic and develop a relationship. That is great in theory, but what about with a difficult person. 

This is how business advisors help business owners

I met with a business valuer that provides business owners with valuations.  We discussed the ways that business advisors help business owners.  Based on this discussion and follow up from that discussion I wanted to share some ideas with you.

This is how to enhance collaboration with your team and in a negotiation

Whether in business or in a negotiation, how can you improve collaboration? This can be difficult in business and especially in a negotiation with a difficult party. You have to work to keep your team focused and to help your team to stay focused and keep their eye on the ball. It is important not to be distracted by personalities, negative commentary and other distractions. So what should you do?