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How to Use Negotiation Skills to Earn a Free Suitcase
Recently, I helped one of my colleagues “earn” a free suitcase by using Black Swan skills. She was staying at a hotel in Detroit for a work...
Overcome Weaknesses as a Negotiator: Assertive Personality
Whenever you find yourself at an impasse in a negotiation, you need to know how you got there. We need to admit that the approach we use to get...
Does Eye Contact Help or Hurt a Negotiation?
Eye contact can make or break a negotiation. Too much eye contact can make your counterpart very uncomfortable. If you are engaged in a conversation...
Why Explaining Too Early Is Hurting Your Closing Rate
As Ronald Reagan once said: If you’re explaining, you’re losing. So if you’re constantly explaining at the negotiation table, your closing rate will...
3 Communication Skills to Close Deals Faster
The Black Swan Group has a saying: It’s not a sin to not get the deal, but it is a sin to take a long time to not get the deal. Next time you find...
5 Ways to Control Your Emotions During Negotiations
Even the most talented negotiators struggle with their emotions from time to time. At the end of the day, emotions are one thing we can’t fully...
Communications Skills: Handling Objections
The best negotiators in the world are great at handling objections. When you find yourself operating in the world of high-stakes negotiations, it’s...
Navigating Language Barriers in International Negotiations
As we continue coaching clients all around the world, there’s a tendency we see over and over again in which folks think that certain negotiation...
Why Is Listening the Key to Active Communication?
Every person on this planet—regardless of where they hail from or their culture, ethnicity, or gender—wants someone else to understand their...
Communication Skills: 3 Ways To Make “No” Work For You
Does yes really always mean yes? Absolutely not. When we say yes, we’re committing to something. And immediately after we’ve committed, we begin...
How To Get Buy-In With The 3 Most Effective Communication Techniques
This blog was originally published on 03/6/2017 and updated on 7/16/2020. Negotiation is an information-gathering process. It’s not about getting...
How to Deal with a Boss Who’s a Bully (and a Micromanager)
The secret to getting the upper hand in a negotiation is giving the other side the illusion of control. There is great power in deference, especially...