What Can Principal Agent Theory Teach Negotiators?

Is there a gap between you and your agent's incentives?

There are times when something is being negotiated that we choose to not go it alone. Instead, we decide that we need some help. When this happens we may bring in an agent to represent us to the other side . However, this can cause problems. If you do this, you wonder whether you can … Read more

What Does The Other Side Want In A Negotiation?

When we think about getting ready for our next negotiation, what do we really spend our time thinking about? We probably review all of the negotiation styles and negotiating techniques that we plan on using and that we expect the other side to try to use against us. Hopefully we’ll also spend some time taking … Read more

Every Negotiation Is All About Time

So what’s your goal for your next negotiation? If I was going to hazard a guess, I’d be willing to bet that in one way shape or form you are going to be trying to maximize the amount of money that you walk away from the table with no matter what negotiation styles or negotiating … Read more

In Negotiating, It’s All About What You Know

If you have a chance to talk with experienced negotiators, you’ll often hear them tell you “knowledge is power”. What they are talking about, in simple terms, is that the more that you know as you go into a negotiation, the better you can expect to do during the negotiations no matter what negotiation styles … Read more

Just Exactly How Do You Negotiate?

Often when I’m working with new negotiators, they’ll ask me the classic question “how do I negotiate?” This is a fair question – even if it is a bit broad. We all negotiate every day even if we don’t really realize that we are doing it. What my students are really asking me is how … Read more

The Secret To A Successful Negotiation: PPP

The trick to being successful in a negotiation is finding some way to get the other side to do what you want them to do for you. Although this is easy to say, it turns out that it’s actually quite difficult to do. We never want to go in to a negotiation blind and that’s … Read more

The Power Of Actual Knowledge

Rarely do negotiations just happen. Instead, they are planned well in advance and you’ve got plenty of time to get ready to participate in them and to deal with all of the different negotiation styles and negotiating techniques that you’ll encounter. What this means for you as a negotiator is that you need to make … Read more

Are You Negotiating With The Right Person?

Quiz: what is the purpose of any negotiation? Answer: to reach a deal with the other side. Now, if that’s your goal, then no matter what negotiation styles or negotiating techniques are used during the negotiations, the other side has to be in a position to agree to implement whatever deal you reach, right? If … Read more

3 Secrets For Finding Satisfaction In Your Next Negotiation

“Satisfaction” is a great word – doesn’t it sound like something that we’d all like to achieve every time we start a negotiation? As great as this concept is, despite all of the negotiation styles and negotiating techniques that we’ve learned, just exactly how to achieve it is something that seems to elude negotiators because … Read more

To Team Or Not To Team, That Is The Question

Don’t you just love movies? Whenever there is a negotiation going on in a movie, be it with hostage takers or closing a big business deal, there is always the picture of the noble solitary sales negotiator doing his / her best to close the deal against almost impossible odds. Can you tell me what … Read more