5 Crucial Tips For Getting Past The Gatekeeper

Getting past the gatekeeper, the screener, the blocker or whatever term you give them has been a challenge...forever. Their job is to insulate and...

Labeling...It's Not Just For Emotions Anymore

Emotion labeling was developed as a part of the Active Listening Skillset in the area of psychotherapy in the 1950’s. It is defined as the tentative...

Preparing to Negotiate

Why Are We Still Talking About This?

Google “Leadership Emotional Intelligence” and marvel at the number of hits on books, articles, and blog posts that have been produced. Not a week...

Using The Power of Silence To Get More

Falling silent, also known as the effective pause, is a powerful tool to use during interpersonal communication. It is a skill in which you...

Preparing to Negotiate

Bridging the Gap: Why Hostage Negotiation Is Successful In Business

Last week, I was presenting basic negotiations concepts to a group of CEOs and senior managers. About 45 minutes into our talk, one of the...

How to Negotiate

2 Techniques To Fend Off An Attack

Have you ever been in a difficult conversation where the other person appears intent on pulling you into an argument or trading personal attacks? We...

Communication Techniques

Communication Skills: Hang a Label™ on It

Labeling™ is a communication skill that enables us to identify the dynamics, emotions, and circumstances implied or verbalized by our counterpart.

Negotiation Tactics

Why It's Important To Embrace "No"

“I’m telling you now man, if y’all do anything foolish, these people are gonna get hurt,” Mike said after taking 12 people hostage during a botched...

How to Negotiate

4 Types of Difficult People and How To Win Them Over

How you handle difficult conversations or manipulative tactics can be a deal maker or deal breaker. You will face demanding, unclear, frustrating,...

Negotiation Training

Bargaining vs Negotiation: Do you really know the difference?

Two weeks ago, I attended the SaaStr 2017 conference in San Francisco. It was a collection of Software- As-A-Service start-up CEOs, CFOs, COOs as...

Communication Techniques

Are You Underperforming As A Listener?

Most people who think they are good listeners underperform. There is some research that suggests they do so by as much as 60%. This overconfidence...

Crisis Negotiation

Negotiating When They Are Not Talking

Sam Felder (not his real name) had barricaded himself in his home. Suffering from hellacious migraines and post-traumatic stress, he told his wife he...