Since our middle name is “creative,” we at Mobus Creative Negotiating emphasize creative ways to add value to a deal: to do things neither side was thinking of but which make for a better deal. Many people think creativity is like lightning: it strikes or it doesn’t. Actually, there is much we can do to stimulate us to consider the… read more →
We always get questions about business relationships and partnering. What are the dangers? Don’t they tend to favor one side or the other? When we get into one, what can we do to make sure it is working out as intended? The problem we see is that when customer-vendor relationships are first entered into, say with a long-term agreement or… read more →
There was a lot of interest in our last newsletter piece, “The 25% Solution.” After reflecting on the comments, I thought it might be worthwhile to discuss. The most common comment or question goes something like this: “I’ve tried this but it just seems to make the other party angry or annoyed. Then they push back, dig in or take… read more →
Every year, sometime in May, the ISM convention is held at rotating sites around the country. This year’s event, held in Orlando, May 21-24, was attended by several thousand procurement and sourcing specialists from leading companies across the U.S. Mobus Creative Negotiating brought a small team to share some of our expertise in negotiation, and to learn from other… read more →
Participant Questions from Webinar, “GETTING CREATIVE: NEGOTIATING IN THE 21st CENTURY” by Dr. Bill Sanders, Business Analyst In last Wednesday’s webinar, Frank and Alexandra looked at the evolving nature of business negotiation. As many business deals, especially for procurement or sales professionals have become more complex, based on repeated transactions and highly-customized solutions, negotiating styles need to change. Old-fashioned power-based… read more →
Using the Truth to Mislead A widely used negotiating tactic, but one which we at Mobus Creative Negotiating do not recommend, is to use the truth to mislead. Philosophers call that “paltering.” A recent Washington Post article by Jena McGregor gives as an example: if the buyer to whom you are selling a used car says, “I presume it runs… read more →
How to Motivate Negotiators The common assumption is what motivates people is money. Makes sense – but what does the evidence show? Behavioral economists have done path-breaking research by questioning these sort of assumptions. We at Mobus Creative Negotiating have drawn much from the work of Dan Ariely. And so we turned eagerly to his new book, Payoff: The Hidden… read more →
Forecasts Show: Every Year is Above Average Many of us have a strong tendency to miss looming problems. We do not like to acknowledge that things may go wrong. This can be a real shortcoming when negotiating an agreement, because we make think that everything is going to work out great without being realistic about problems that may arise. Few… read more →
Prepare for a Negotiation, But Don’t Knock Yourself Out We at Mobus Creative Negotiating stress the importance of being prepared for a negotiation: learning about the other side, thinking about your strategy, and practicing. That is good advice. But as often in life, too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. In particular, do not make overwork… read more →
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