Think about parent-children interactions you’ve met with. How often does the child get what he or she wanted in the end? We like to think, as adults, that we are much smarter and more complex than children, but children are the ultimate negotiators, using surprisingly elegant tactics to get what they want. As adults, we often disregard the more simplistic negotiating skills children employ, but sometimes simple is the best. The following are a few of the simplest child negotiation techniques and what we can learn from them in corporate negotiations training: Aim high. Children have a seemingly intuitive knowledge that starting out with a large request will result in more a more beneficial outcome. Whether this begins as simple greed or a childlike hopefulness, we can’t be sure. Yet somehow children know when they ask for 3 more scoops of ice cream, they will end up getting at least one more. Perhaps this explains why they always look so overjoyed when they get what they originally ask for: they weren’t expecting it. In business, always ask for more than you expect. Ask at the right time. One of the most devious tricks children employ is asking for something when their parents are distracted. They learn at an early age - if mom or dad is distracted by watching TV or talking on the phone, they will be more likely to get a positive answer. Negotiators can use this trick, as well: when negotiating, slip in a seemingly unrelated request that will provide your company with a big reward. Even politicians use this tactic, slipping unwanted bills and stipulations into otherwise popular legislation. Offer something first. Children almost always preface their negotiations with reminders of their good behavior, performances of odd favors and tasks, or gifts and compliments. Most parents have wised up to this trick, prompting the well-used line "what do you want now?" Nevertheless, it is still effective. Everyone knows that you don’t get something for nothing, and doing a favor for or offering assistance to a company before beginning negotiations is one way to get better results. Be persistent. This is perhaps a child’s most effective negotiation tool, and it’s one we incorporate into our negotiations training module. Kids understand a "no" often means "not right now" and even the strongest parents can eventually be worn down by sheer persistence. If you know what you want, go after it, and don’t stop until you have achieved your goal. This is just as applicable in negotiation settings as it is in the rest of life.

Of all the negotiation tactics used over the centuries, there are some that stick out as being particularly low-down and dirty. At Shapiro Negotiations, we offer negotiation training that focuses on productive and mutually beneficial tactics, but not all negotiators have the courage to negotiate with integrity. Knowing how to handle nasty tactics when you encounter them is vital for novice negotiators. Here are a few of the most common bad negotiation tactics and how to avoid them. Exaggerating future sales growth. Some negotiators, in an attempt to make their company more intimidating or more appealing for a partnership, will lie about their estimated future sales growth. The way to combat this is simple: do research. If you come prepared with copies of their past growth records, then you can nip this strategy in the bud. Pretending to back out. This is a somewhat childish but unfortunately still effective attempt to persuade other negotiators to cave to their demands. By making it seem like their company is no longer interested, negotiators hope to force opponents to offer better deals to bring them back to the table. Recognize this farce for what it is, and call the negotiator’s bluff. Retract your offers, and if his company is truly not interested, you can find better deals elsewhere. Withholding important information. Negotiations are most effective when everyone at the table has all of the information they need. If you are negotiating a corporate buyout, for example, you need to have all of the sales information for the company you are buying. If your fellow negotiator withholds that information or other important documents, you may end up making a bad deal. Do not be afraid to be direct with your questions, and accept nothing less than a straight and complete answer. Faking offense at typical questions. When you ask direct questions about a company’s finances or sales success, your opponent may act offended and insulted. In all likelihood, he or she is simply trying to avoid answering the question. With the right corporate sales training, negotiators should be prepared for all business-related questions, and if someone takes pains to avoid giving an answer, you should be wary of them. Demanding last minute changes. Do not give in to last minute demands; they are often nothing more than a ploy to take advantage of your surprise. When you have settled the stipulations of an agreement, stick to them and do not change them just to keep the other negotiator in the game. If the other company is successful in making minute demands before entering into an agreement, then they will try to take advantage of your company again in the future.

Many businesses are offering flexible work arrangements or completely remote capabilities. With this, a need arises for different recruiting, training, and leadership skills. Remote leaders are responsible for creating a common vision everyone can follow, allowing for team cohesion even at a distance. From providing remote negotiations training to conducting company-wide sales training, remote leaders inspire unity when adhering to four specific rules. Set Clear Expectations  As opposed to working in a physical location, remote employees are scattered throughout the country (and perhaps the globe). To keep everyone on the same page, remote leaders must establish a set of clear expectations. While performing individual tasks is the responsibility of the employee, leaders are expected to clearly outline the following: Work hours. When a team works remotely, it’s important to get everyone on the same page regarding expected work hours. If employee improvement, such as negotiations training, must take place, clearly specify when trainings are held. Regular meetings are essential to keep communication flowing. Establish expectations for company meetings, including when they will take place, the protocol for missing a meeting, and recurring topics to be discussed. Leading from afar requires confidence in a team member’s ability to work independently while meeting productivity goals. Remote leaders are responsible for setting clear guidelines outlining expectations. Don’t Hide Behind the Screen Being available to remote employees is one of the best ways to keep workers engaged, motivated, and informed. When leading a team of remote employees, don’t hinder your availability by hiding behind the computer screen. Particularly when conducting sales training, leaders need to be accessible to workers to address questions and concerns. If time constraints are a concern, establish set hours of availability during which employees can contact you and receive a prompt response. Leverage Technology to Facilitate Training Most companies operating a remote workforce lack the option to conduct business free of technology. Between collaborative online tools, productivity tracking programs, and digital communication, technology is the conduit that facilitates ongoing dialogue, training, and employee improvement. Use digital solutions that bring remote employees together and increase access to members of your leadership team. Extend Trust and Confidence to Employees All employees benefit when leaders extend trust and confidence in their abilities. When managing remote teams, it’s important to clearly communicate this level of trust. Provide remote employees with confidence-boosting compliments, but don’t stretch the truth. Focus on an employee’s strengths and how those strengths contribute to the company’s goals, and offer positive feedback on recent projects. Communicating your belief in an employee’s abilities will inspire them to work harder to reach established goals.

Strong leadership is integral for a remote working environment to be successful, as is a firm grasp of negotiations training to boost interview skills. Remote opportunities offer flexibility for workers, expand the hiring pool, and reduce overhead costs for companies, provided you’ve hired employees you can count on to follow your lead. Because hiring the wrong worker can negatively impact your business’s success, look for employees with the following four traits. Self-Motivation When working from a remote location, there are myriad potential distractions. From kids coming home after school to the temptation to check social media during work hours, remote employees are susceptible to procrastination, diverted attention, and poor productivity. Seek candidates who have a strong history of self-motivation. Generally, these individuals are more focused, determined, and efficient when completing work-related tasks. Hire managers equipped with the knowledge provided by sales training and negotiations training to quickly identify whether a candidate is a self-starter. Previous Experience Like applicants for any other position, previous experience is a definite plus. While performing required tasks and navigating company processes can be taught, accomplishing goals while working remotely brings an entirely new set of challenges if the candidate lacks experience. When interviewing candidates without previous experience working remotely, ask pointed, situation-based questions and carefully evaluate their response. Questions like, "Given the requirements of this position, how would you structure your day?" will help determine if an unexperienced candidate has potential to succeed. Problem-Solving Skills Unlike a physical office, working remotely requires the ability to independently problem solve. Though leadership should be accessible for complex questions, remote workers must think critically, quickly, and have confidence in their ultimate conclusion. Exceptional problem-solving skills are essential for remote employees, but you can’t always take a candidate’s stated strengths at face value. Negotiations training is recommended for leaders and hiring managers, as it helps hone interview skills. Asking the right questions at the right time during an interview will reveal whether a candidate is truly an experienced problem solver or merely added a buzz word to their resume. Good Attitude  Job flexibility is attractive to many workers, as is working from home (or any convenient location). However, it’s important to hire remote employees who maintain a good attitude and are dedicated to fostering a positive team environment. Ask candidates how they might handle a stressful task, rude co-worker, or a request to perform a service outside of their job description. Often, responses will provide you with telling information about their on-the-job attitude.

The trademark of a successful company is innovation in the workplace. Companies that succeed long term have a policy that promotes creativity and trust in the employees who drive change, and provides leaders with influence training to keep this creativity going. As with anything, practice makes perfect, and innovation must be harnessed, cultivated, and acknowledged to reap positive rewards. Use these tips to motivate employees to think outside-the-box and propel your company’s success.   Foster Collaboration  As the old saying goes, "Two heads are better than one." Whether working remotely or in an office setting, aim to inspire team members to collaborate in an easygoing environment. Structured settings, like timed meetings or proposal deadlines, can inhibit creativity and put the focus on competition. Instead, designate brainstorming sessions and choose a different team member per session to lead. Completing influence training equips managers with the ability to create an environment and culture that fosters collaboration. Redefine Work Processes  A change of scenery can significantly improve your team’s ability to think creatively and add innovation to your company. Consider redefining work processes by instituting sprints or taking your brainstorming session outdoors. Focus on the elimination of distractions, like electronics, phone calls, or busy public areas, and encourage team members to concentrate on brainstorming the answers to three (or fewer) questions. Doing so will both promote collaboration and provide employees with a welcome change of pace. Influence training for managers is helpful, as it offers deep insights into employees’ decision making processes. Hire Passionate Team Members  Above all else, strengthen your team with individuals who are enthusiastic and passionate about your business. Whether their expertise is sales, customer relationships, or marketing, make use of your team’s passion to facilitate creativity and innovation. Through the completion of influence training, managers become adept at understanding each employee’s strengths and goals, leading to more productive brainstorming sessions and the reinforcement of ideas. Don’t Reject Creativity  Sometimes, great ideas get dismissed if they are not relevant to the topic at hand. Unfortunately, the employee who had the idea becomes discouraged, while managers fail to save the idea for a later project. To inspire creativity in the workplace, always keep the big picture in sight. If an employee has a great idea that can be used later, acknowledge his or her initiative and make a note of it. Keep a repository of ideas, either digitally or in your meeting space, to revisit at another time.

Repeat customers and long term business relationships can make or break a professional career. Whether you’re seeking to build a better relationship with your company’s clients or further your influence as an industry professional, it’s important to take an active role in solidifying business relationships. Completing negotiation training and sales training will give you a strong foundation from which to cultivate relationships, as will the following tips. Adopt a "Give and Take" Philosophy  As professionals with negotiations training under their belt clearly understand, laying the foundation for a strong business relationship requires a bit of give and take. Instead of initiating contact only when you need something, become a go-to resource for your professional network. Communicate often enough that you remain informed about your contact’s needs and challenges, and become an active part of the solution. Use Social Media (Really) Modern sales training emphasizes the use of social media to keep professional networks buzzing, but individual professionals often fail to use social platforms to their advantage. Unlike years past, professionals are relying more on social media to communicate with existing contacts and create new relationships. While the old fashioned phone call shouldn’t be ignored, consider switching up your routine by reaching out to contacts on social media. A direct message on Twitter or a mention on LinkedIn may be enough to gain new leads or land a new project.  Exceed Expectations  When honored with the opportunity to provide a service or product to a professional contact, aim to exceed their expectations every time. Take deadlines, specifications, and project goals seriously to ensure your contact’s satisfaction with your work, and always communicate throughout the process. Keeping the lines of communication open will show your business contacts you’re committed to going above and beyond to guarantee their satisfaction. A solid record of success with your contacts is the best way to foster a long-term professional relationship that is beneficial for both parties. Don’t Undervalue a Good Recommendation  Even if there are a few people in your professional network you’d rather forget, never waste an opportunity for a good recommendation. In the midst of a task-filled day, speaking with one of your less-than-favorite contacts may be the last thing you want to do. However, taking a few minutes out of your day to be responsive increases the probability that you’ll be recommended to other professionals. When all is said and done, the effort is worth it.

Business communication incorporates the means to effectively relay information within professional channels. Some of the more popular channels using business communication include television, radio, print media, businesses and the Internet. For effective business communication, most professionals prefer face-to-face interaction. While it may be considered confrontational, face-to-face interaction is also the most direct and easy to understand. There are five different conversations taking place in most effective business communication. These conversations include negotiation, mediation, persuasion, conflict resolution and presentation. 1. Negotiation Not only does negotiation play a strong role in business communication, but it also serves as a fine art for many to master. The art of negotiation can transform tense situations into areas of peace and reconciliation for the parties involved. Negotiation mainly focuses on the ability to get both parties to a common ground or to a place where both parties benefit from a decision. In business communication, some of the most commonly discussed negotiations include salary or benefits negotiations. When entering a conversation with planned negotiating, it is important to know the talking points and position on the particular issue. Negotiation is merely problem solving. When solving a problem, a person must look at what they want and how far they are willing to go for it. For example, a job offer may be on the table, but the benefits may not be that great. This could be a place for negotiation. A person must look at the pros and cons of what the job offer entails and decide if it works for them. Negotiation also involves preparing to ask questions and get answers that will solve the problem. It is vital to continue the conversation and persist until a solution is found. 2. Mediation Another important facet of business communication involves mediation (not to be confused with meditation). Mediation involves inviting a neutral third-party to help rectify a situation. While it’s considered ideal for a company to exist without any problems, it isn’t realistic. Problems will arise during the life of any business. Businesses are primarily comprised of people who are prone to their different ideas, temperaments, strengths and weaknesses. Because of these different factors, it is easy to see the need and importance of effective business communication. When a problem rears its ugly head, it is up to the parties involved to maturely seek a beneficial way to handle it. One of the best ways to destroy a company is through unresolved conflict as it can eventually decrease profits, crush work productivity and lead to very poor job retention. If a problem proves to be harder than usual to solve, mediation is a great solution to take advantage of. The solution of mediation is popularly used in situations of harassment, wrongful termination and discrimination. Mediation is great because it allows both parties to be heard in a safe environment. There is also the benefit of privacy. In mediations, privacy is of the utmost importance. In a business setting, a lot of mediators are lawyers or people who are well-versed in law. When a settlement is reached at the end of a mediation, it is considered legally binding. 3. Persuasion Persuasion, or influence has been long considered an art. The ability to get people to leave their convictions and buy into another is one of the most highly sought-after business communication skills. Persuasion is used through all mediums of business communication. For example, television networks no longer report the facts alone. There is a bit of opinion delivered with artful persuasion on various evening programs with analysts and pundits. There are a few elements of persuasion that, if properly understood, can lead to many professional success stories. Reciprocity is major in persuasion. People are easier to persuade if they feel like the one doing the persuading has delivered lots of value to their lives in a certain way. People are more likely to give in to someone who does a lot for them. If someone is an authority or a credible source on a subject, they have the advantage to persuade an audience because of their experience. Lastly, when a person is well-liked, it is easier to persuade them. Books like How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie prove that people are persuaded by people who look like them, make them feel good and help them achieve goals of mutual benefit. 4. Conflict Resolution As previously mentioned, conflicts in business can often lead to a decrease in profits, work productivity and poor job retention. These are some of the most detrimental blows any business could ever experience. A major part of effective business communication involves the ability to solve conflicts and bounce back from them. When dealing with conflict in a business setting, it is important to get the opposing sides out. Both opinions need the opportunity to be expressed. After each side gets the chance to express their conflicting side, problems must be resolved expeditiously. The best way to come to a resolution is through asking each side what the benefits of their reasoning are. What is to be gained by going one way vs. another? After this is expressed, there are usually some fears behind each reason. There are also consequences for each action. Creativity has its place in effective business communication and conflict resolution. After hearing the fears behind each side, the best way to alleviate fears and find a resolution is to find a middle ground. Getting creative about a solution that pleases everyone may be difficult, but it’s worth the fight. Conflict is an uncomfortable part of business. The brightest professionals are the ones who know how to handle conflict quickly and creatively to see resolution! 5. Presentation Many studies suggest that two-thirds of all communication is non-verbal. In business communications, presentations are a vital part of the process. Within the first two or three minutes, the audience critiques the presenter’s voice, style, tone, style of attire, energy level, confidence level and more. Because all of these can either attract or distract, it is incredibly important to pay attention to these factors. Attention must also be placed on being extremely clear. Communicators must always present their intentions for the presentation from the beginning. Business communication is best when its clear and concise. There are many moving parts in business communication. Effective business communication skills are beneficial to any professional as well as anyone who communicates with others. Persuasion, mediation, presentation, conflict resolution and negotiation are all incredible elements to the world of business communication. When these skills are mastered, the end result is a masterpiece.

Many people consider social media a waste of time in the workplace, which is one reason why most employers block employees’ access to social media accounts during work hours. In general, visiting social media sites during work hours is a bad practice, but social media does have certain benefits that businesses can take advantage of. For example, social media provides a great environment to practice and develop negotiation skills. The following are a few of the benefits of social media for negotiation and how to keep the distractions of social media out of the office. 1. Build your image before negotiations: Social media allows people to build up an image and reputation, in essence creating a persona. This means that negotiators will be expecting to negotiate with the persona and may give you the advantage of appearing stronger or tougher than you really are. By influencing what your competitor knows and thinks about you using social media, you can also influence the outcome of the negotiations. 2. Learn about your competitor: When you research the person you will be negotiating against, look at their social media profiles to get an idea of their character. However, as they may very well be practicing the same methods as you, focus less on what they say and more on their style of writing. For example, concise statuses or comments that express strong opinions and are posted regularly indicate a person who makes quick decisions and wastes little time, striving to be as efficient as possible. By paying attention to how they write and the language they use, you can get a better insight into how their mind works. 3. Practice and learn about emotional control: One of the most prevalent problems with the internet is the number of hate-filled comments posted on every social media site. Some internet users post angry comments and statuses due to personal issues, while others respond irrationally to ideas or statements they disagree with. One way to potentially practice negotiation skills is to join some of these more explosive conversations and control your anger when responding to hate-filled comments. You will also learn what types of comments most affect other’s ability to control their emotions. 4. Practice self-management: Social media often draws users in and keeps them distracted for hours, preventing them from getting work done. When you do go on social media, have a goal of things you want to look at and a time limit for how long you can spend, and stick to those restrictions. By using social media as a tool to learn to control your impulses and manage your time, you can become a more effective employee and a more effective negotiator.

Most workplaces are becoming more inclusive, hiring increasing numbers of people with disabilities in order to increase creativity and productivity. However, many employers are still stumped on how to best hire and retain employees with disabilities, as well as how to negotiate their work contracts. The following are a few aspects of negotiation that people with disabilities need to master in order to reach the best possible solution for themselves and their employer. 1. Find potential employers: A person with a disability may have better chances at employment if they apply with a company with a history of customized employment. Talk to employed disabled persons in your area and find out which companies may be more open to hiring disabled persons than other companies. 2. Find out the employer’s needs: The best way to get any job is to convince the employer that you fit a need they have. If you can identify a need that the employer was unaware of and demonstrate the importance fixing it, you will gain the employer’s attention and potentially a job. Do research on a desired company and find out their job openings as well as information regarding their expenses and revenues. If you can find a way to save a company money, you are a potentially valuable asset. 3. Get a foot in the door: Set up interviews or meetings to learn more about the company, and introduce yourself to the employer if possible. This interest will usually impress your potential employer, and if you can provide them with an idea to improve their company, they will be very interested. If you show that you are the most qualified person for the position, they will often be willing to make accommodations to hire you. 4. Understand the employer’s concerns. An employer has lots of responsibility to his or her customers, other employees, and investors. Hiring any new employee is a risk, and a disabled employee often represents a larger risk in an employer’s eyes. If you can predict all of the employer’s arguments against your employment, you will be able to dismantle or refute those arguments before they are ever brought up. This in itself will impress your employer, showing that you are able to look at a situation from multiple points of view. A few of the obvious concerns shared by most employers are the costs of making accommodations for your disability in the workplace, the risk of your impairment affecting your efficiency and production, and the expectation of your wanting preferential treatment due to your disability. After addressing all of your potential employer’s concerns, try to convince him or her of your worthiness for the position. Do not result to bullying or threatening lawsuits for discrimination; that will only cause resentment.

If it wasn’t for that fact that the statistics haven’t really changed, it would be something of a cliché to point out that when polled, most people list public speaking as their worst fear, even worse than death. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, as many as 74 percent of people feel that way. Basically, that means three out of four people, including so-called "extroverts," would rather die than speak publicly. And yet, in the world we now live in, with the internet, smartphones, social media conference calls, and Skype, there has never been a time when developing skills in public communication could be more useful in our day-to-day lives. Sure certain professions may enable people to hide from this fear indefinitely, but who really aspires that idea? Anybody who works in any kind of corporate environment understands that glossophobia is a fear the passes rather quickly. The office environment simply imposes public communication, at least in minor degrees on pretty much every employee. However, that doesn’t mean that everybody in those types of environments grows to master the art of public speaking, or business communication for the same reason that not everyone who learns the alphabet goes on to become great writers. The fact is that business communication, and public speaking are art forms. Like other art forms, there may be some people with more aptitude than others, but anybody can cultivate and refine the skillset with a bit of effort. whether you are preparing a speech, making a budget request, interviewing for a job, selling something but holding your price, ending a relationship — business or romantic — or actually professionally interested in negotiation training or influence training, success lies in training, research, and focused effort. Mastering the art of public speaking is a process that must be undertaken deliberately. One last statistic: About 10 percent of people love every second they spend in the limelight They feel exhilarated by public speaking, and after completing a speaking engagement, look forward to their next chance to do it again. Imagine the potential for rewards that come with being in that group. Whether you aspire to that mindset, or you just want to achieve improvements in your professional or personal life, the process starts with gathering information, so we’ve compiled some examples of a few advanced methods and techniques taken from some of the best public presentations ever produced by TED Talks. Enjoy.  

Every employer wants to get the best work possible from his or her employees. This means making workers feel their jobs are useful, time is well-spent, and they are making a difference. Yet, it’s tricky to motivate adult employees because slight missteps can leave them feeling patronized. Here are some positive ways to motivate and retain your employees. Treat Others as You Want to be Treated  This golden rule is the most important motivator. Bryan Shinn (CEO of US Silica) says, "I try to treat folks as I want to be treated and I think that’s one of the most motivating things to an organization. No matter where you are in the leadership hierarchy, if you’re engaged and empathetic and just real with people I think it goes a long way."  Address the Problem Now  Don’t wait to talk to underperforming employees; ignoring is condoning. Most employee productivity issues are not dealt with directly. Employee work standards will naturally decay if they are not reminded that you care about certain policies, and ignoring the issue helps them feel they can "get away with it." Listen and Respect Them  "Might makes right" is not true. Start by listening and showing your employees respect. If you go in accusing, the employee will get defensive and insulted. The employee might have a legitimate concern or new idea. Have a conversation instead of a lecture. Don Bailey (CEO of Questcor) says, "Listen to them, have sincere respect for what they do, and understand that they have families as well. Communicate with them as often as possible." Even if employees don’t have legitimate concerns, listening sends a clear message that you are paying attention to their needs and their productivity. If an employee is a bad fit for the job or lacks needed skills, that’s your problem, not the employee’s. Provide sufficient training to ensure your employees are familiar with your expectations. Communicate Expectations Clearly  Beating around the bush leaves employees confused. Speak articulately, ask questions, and ask them to ask questions. Make sure that the management team is on the same page. Inconsistent communication from different supervisors leaves employees in disagreement about expectations. Provide Encouraging Coaching and a Team Plan  Present the problem as a team problem, and try not to put all the responsibility on the employee. "Let’s work on this together," tells employees you will help them improve. Provide that help with encouraging coaching and a clear plan for improving.  Appeal to Their Motives Productivity is best when employees are self-motivated instead of motivated by fear, so provide employees internal motivations. Avoid threatening and don’t make promises you can’t keep. Listening to their natural motives may help you appeal to those motives, so pay close attention to what excites your employees as you talk with them. Turn their words into keywords you mention as motive reminders later. Make Them Feel Importance Employees want to know why their tasks are important. They procrastinate because they think a delay won’t cause any problems for anybody else. Explain the chain of events linking their task to everyone else’s responsibilities. Reward Changes  "You’re doing a lot better!" is encouraging. Besides encouragement, reward them however you can. This helps provide self-motivation instead of fear-motivation. Bryan Shinn (CEO of US Silica) says, "I also put a lot of effort into recognizing the small things. You don’t have to wait until someone has a major accomplishment. . . . Don’t be afraid to challenge the rules or do something unconventional around reward and recognition. Just calling somebody up to say thank you or finding a way to find out what they like to do in their spare time and reward them with it."

Employers don’t want employees playing games at work, but playing a brain game or solving a teaser before or after work or on breaks can help increase work productivity. Studies have shown  that brain games have more impact on productivity than incentive programs, bigger paychecks, improved benefits, or more vacation time. The Basic Principle  The foundation of mental training is knowing that mental ability relies more on skill than genetics. As a skill, it is subject to the benefits of habit. Practice makes perfect for mental abilities. Instead of conceding defeat and lack of ability to memorize, observe, or process information, take charge of your abilities and improve them through mental exercises. As new habits form, your main asset, your mind, will become sharp and versatile. The Benefits of Mental Exercise  Stretching those mental muscles can increase your productivity in the following ways:  Faster Thinking. Exercising your brain creates new mental pathways and habits that allow you to observe and make decisions quicker. Just as using your muscles makes them stronger, mental practice improves processing speed.  Better Memory. Memory is more of a skill than a born ability. There are ways to train your memory to recall information more quickly and completely.  Improved Creativity. To solve a problem, the mind must think outside the box. It must analyze and reorganize data into new relationships. Creativity is the ability to think in a new way more quickly. Practice helps creativity come more easily and quickly.  Quicker Reactions. Mental exercises raise your alertness. You become more observant and aware of your surroundings. As you practice observing, your mind forms mental habits that are always on the lookout.  Good Mood. Practicing our mental processing increases our information intake and recall. As we become more knowledgeable, we become more confident. Confidence saturates our productivity and we become happier, more efficient workers.  Fighting Boredom. Employees can get bored at work. Providing a challenge to occupy their minds maintains an element of fun throughout the workday. If employees are overcome with boredom, their productivity will drag. Being occupied by some mind consuming thought helps work habits kick in, and productivity increases.  Game Types Try the following types of games to exercise your mind: As coworkers tell each other riddles, they introduce a sensation of challenge into the workplace. This is especially useful when the work is rather tedious. Introducing an element of challenge distracts the mind from focusing on the unpleasantness of tedious work.  Mobile Apps. On breaks, employees can play with apps like Lumosity, CogniFit, Personal Zen, Brain Trainer Special, Happify, Positive Activity Jackpot, Fit Brains Trainer, Eidetic, and ReliefLink. These games provide mind twisters and activities that boost problem-solving skills, memory, and observation. The convenience and variety of these apps make it easy for employees to find a game that suits them best.  Camaraderie Games. Though not always mind twisters, games that build employee camaraderie help motivate productivity. Set up a treasure hunt with items hidden in the office. Assassin is a game in which each person is secretly assigned a different "target" person to take a facial picture of on their smartphone. When the shot is made, the victim passes their assigned target to the shooter. The last person standing is the winner. Many other creative and challenging games can provide healthy mood lifting during the workday. Challenge your employees to a few rounds, and start seeing results.

Bullying has become a serious issue for children, but many people don’t know that adults get bullied, too - and it often occurs at work. Furthermore, most adults are ashamed or embarrassed to tell anyone they’re being bullied. How do you spot bullying in the workplace? How should you handle it?  Studies have shown that 37% of workers have been bullied at work. When witnesses are included in the survey, the number rises to 49%. Unless the abuse is severe, employees may not realize they are being bullied. Around 45% of individuals who are bullied experience stress-related health problems, including cardiovascular ailments, a lower immune system, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. Bullying is causing more problems than sexual harassment at work, causing more stress and higher turnover rates. The Workplace Bullying Institute has promoted legislation asking employers to address bullying with legal recourse. Spotting the Signs  People may not realize they are witnessing or receiving bullying unless they consider the following signs: If you are physically ill at the start of every workday or workweek, ask yourself if it is due to anticipation anxiety. You may be nervous about meeting the bully.  Complaining About Work. Complaining is a coping mechanism and your complaints may be related to the bully. If your family or friends complain about your ever-present complaining, consider bullying as a possible source.  Blood Pressure. Due to bullying, anxiety may be increasing your blood pressure, putting you at risk for heart problems. Your doctor might tell you to switch jobs if the problem is persistent.  A supervisor or fellow employee may bully through yelling at you in front of others. This is embarrassing and manipulative.  Gossip and Critical Comments. Bullies often target one or two people to verbally pick on and spread slander about. Don’t encourage others to complain about your co-workers and take note of repeating offenses.  Passive-aggressive bullies might simply ignore and avoid you. This can be a problem if they are vital to your work or get others to join in excluding you from mealtimes, meetings, or conversations.  Not Forgiving. Forgiving is not forgetting. Forgiving is not holding past mistakes against someone. Bullying supervisors or coworkers may continually remind you of past mistakes. 

We recently talked about how you can recognize bullying in the workplace, but how should you handle it? Equipping Yourself  These tips will help you on the road to recovering from being bullied:  Take a Day Off. Use this day to consult a mental health professional. Get emotionally stable to make reasonable decisions, and come up with a plan for confronting the bully or your employer. Check in with your physical health as well, because stress has many adverse effects on the body.  Research Law and Policies. There may be legal recourse you can take against bullies. Even if you do not take this option, you can research state and federal law to provide this information to your employer. If the problem is significant, talk to an attorney and write a demand letter. The handbook for your company may already have policies in place that can protect you. Use these to recruit a supervisor as your advocate.  Start Job Searching. Searching does not mean giving up. It means having a plan B in case the bullying doesn’t stop.  Expose the Bully. Talk to your management about the problem. If the management is the problem, talk to someone higher in the hierarchy. If your business is corporate, you may have to call someone off location.  Keep on Task and be Objective. When presenting your case to bullies or managers, be as objective as possible. Don’t drift into side issues or unrelated stories. Prepare your case ahead of time with numbered points and a conclusion.  Get Advice. Whether from friends, administrators or legal professionals, get advice. You do not need to fight this battle alone. Being bullied in the workplace is stressful, but attempting to ignore the problem will not make it go away. Follow these tips to help you have the best possible working environment.

Even the most enthusiastic employees can hit a slump around Wednesday or Thursday, so it’s crucial to know strategies that will help them overcome it. Sleep Well & Wake Up Early Getting enough rest Tuesday night will keep you alert on Wednesday. Sleeping well and maintaining a good diet will go a long way in preventing mid-week slumps. Sleep deprivation causes your body to work less efficiently, using more energy. While you are sleeping, your mind organizes your thoughts for better memory and processing during the day. Getting enough rest will help your brain function better and will improve your creativity and alertness. Wake up on Wednesday with enough time to have breakfast and do something active. Going for a short walk or even stretching will ensure that you don’t pull into work half-asleep. Starting off on the right foot sets the mood for the rest of your day. Take a Break Take a mid-day break. Round everyone up for a short coffee break to give them an opportunity to return to work with energy. The break will wake people up and keep them alert. Schedule a mid-week meeting to get some face-to-face time with employees and allow everyone to speak. Empathize and foster team spirit to end on a positive note and send employees out refreshed. Be Positive When You Don’t Feel Like It  Attitude is contagious. When you catch yourself being pessimistic, say the opposite. Negativity causes anxiety and stress, which will affect health and productivity, and is twice as contagious as positivity. Watch what you say around others as complaining is a prime motivation killer. Keep your complaints to yourself and encourage others when they start complaining. Take a moment to practice some deep breathing techniques to release stress and the tension in your muscles. Combine this with a light stretch and you have a recipe for increased alertness. Write down your thoughts. The Journal of Research in Personality has shown that writing out your thoughts can enhance positive moods and relieve stress. Negative attitudes are vicious cycles that can be helped with a private outlet. Redefine Wednesday  Turn your half empty glass into a half full one by reminding yourself and others that you’re on the downhill slope to the weekend. Personally motivate yourself by doing something fun Wednesday night, like going on a date, watching movies, or having family fun night. Start a mid-week tradition worth looking forward to.  Create an Energy Diet and Exercise  Create a diet that sustains your energy and grab some healthy snacks. Some foods to include are eggs, Greek yogurt, edamame, whole grain cereal, trail mix, water, guarana, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, nuts, fish, beans, dark leafy vegetables, and dark chocolate. Exercise also helps boost energy levels. Studies have shown that going for a short mid-day walk can boost your energy more than a nap. Get your blood pumping to wake yourself up and increase your alertness for the rest of the day. Exercising regularly provides endorphins to fight stress and naturally increases your overall energy levels. Challenge Yourself  Set up a Wednesday productivity challenge and reward yourself if you meet it. Creating a challenge turns a boring day into a game. Set hourly challenges to keep you alert throughout the day. Even if management does not reward you, reward yourself. Challenging yourself can go a long way in creating motivation at any time during the week.  Challenge others as well. Creating some friendly competition or a collective goal can boost morale in the whole office. Getting everyone on board and providing a larger reward incentive can turn Wednesday into the most exciting day of the week.

Managing employees involves a delicate balance of productivity, focus, and good interpersonal skills. Sometimes managers can feel like they are expected to be good at everything. The effort gets easier through the cultivation of habits and tools for performance improvement. Good practices start with a lot of time and energy and then become second nature. Forming good management habits also means getting rid of bad habits. As we look at good and bad habits, think about how you can implement these tips into your workplace. Good Management Habits Starting a habit takes determination and practice. Determination is preserved through reminding yourself repeatedly of the good reasons you are forming a habit and the consequences of not following through with the new practice. Begin with some of these good habits. Be open to creativity. The best leaders are quick to spot and implement new solutions, wherever they come from. Most workers and fellow managers just want to stick to their job, but keep an eye open for creative employees who think of new solutions to old problems. Be willing to change "the way we do things around here." Communicate well and often. Teams work together through communication. When you are frustrated about a lack of compliance, consider whether you clearly and frequently communicated your expectations. Listen. Build a habit of listening first. In every conversation you have with an employee, challenge yourself to listen more than you talk. They don’t need to know everything you have to say, but they do need to know you care and are addressing, or at least empathizing, with their concerns. Bad Management Habits Being a know-it-all. Leading does not mean being the best at everything. It means knowing where to turn for the best solution to any problem. You do not have all the answers, and it is a common bad habit of managers to think that rank equals knowledge of the truth. Sometimes the one who actually works the task 40 hours a week knows better. Holding paperwork above people work. People are always more important than paper. Leaders who know this have the happy side effect of increased productivity. Spending more time with spreadsheets than people and giving a half-baked effort at employee relationships is a good way to keep employees bitter and unsatisfied. Micromanaging employees. If someone can do a task 60% as well as you can, delegate responsibility to them and forget about it. Sure, you might want it done exactly your way, but that’s an unreasonable and oppressive expectation to place on employees. Don’t micromanage. Employees tend to fill the shoes they’re put in. Always being suspicious of their activity will harm productivity. Trusting them more than they deserve garners more responsibility from workers. Starting these habits will launch you on a road to increased productivity, a better work environment, and less work-related stress.

Employers are always looking for new negotiations training activities that engage people and produce effective results. Negotiators need to learn communication skills, appropriate aggression and ambition, how to think from a different perspective, how to deal with difficult people, and more. Here are some innovative games and activities worth trying for your negotiations training: . Role-Playing  Defining a scenario, whether realistic or off-the wall fiction, can boost confidence, develop listening skills, and train creative problem-solving techniques. Role-playing is where one person describes a situation and other people respond to it. Also called cooperative-storytelling, the narrator defines a problem or enacts an imaginary stranger and the role-players then need to work together to handle the situation. This negotiation training provides a controlled environment where people may test and practice their negotiation skills without fear of bad consequences.  Body Language Activities  Create a game, like charades, where one "speaker" has to communicate a message without speaking. As others guess the message, the  "speaker" refines body language until the message is communicated. This entertaining exercise helps people test what gesticulations work and which do not.  More tied to real-life scenarios, watch movie scenes or public debates in which negotiations are taking place. Have your group observe non-verbal cues, including vocal fluctuations. Write these down then have each participant share their observations with the group afterwards.  A third activity is to play a variation of Simon says or follow the leader. Designate one participant "negotiator" and one "client." Make up a creative scenario where the negotiator and client represent different companies in a negotiation, each with different goals and assets to draw from. Divide all other participants in the room into two groups with each group mimicking the non-verbal cues of the negotiator or client. As the activity progresses, everyone will become self-conscious about the body language being used. Let each person have a turn in the negotiation. Afterwards, discuss observations on the effectiveness of different types of body language.  Arm Wrestle  Set up the following game to help people become aware of their assumptions and disposition when entering a negotiation situation. Participants will become aware of whether they aim for "beating" the other person or try to find a conclusion with mutual benefits. Direct two participants to a table with hands clasped and elbows in an arm wrestling position. Tell them they have two main rules. First, a participant gains one point if the back of their partner’s hand touches the table. Second, the goal is to get as many points as possible without concern for anyone else. Explain that each point will earn a candy after ten seconds of wrestling. Debrief by asking people why they got their score and how they could approach the "negotiation" differently. Help them become aware of and challenge their initial assumptions. These are just a few of the creative ways to increase people’s self-awareness of their negotiations assumptions and communication skills. Think outside the box and come up with similar negotiations training exercises.

To be honest, even the most exciting jobs have times of drudgery and boredom. Many factors on and off the job may kill motivation, and productivity with it. How does an employer or employee boost his or her own motivation and keep production efficient? 1. Reduce stress. Think about things in your life that cause stress and start working on them. Relationships may need more attention to fix problems. Obstacles at work may need to be delegated to someone else. Employees can inform supervisors they’re struggling to be productive in certain tasks; usually they will offer help in some way. Engage in stress-relieving activities. Lighten your workload and cut down your busy schedule. 2. Boost confidence. Motivation is often killed by lack of confidence. Sure, you’re not good at everything; nobody is. Don’t let being normal get you down. Instead of thinking about your failures all the time, think about your successes. Employees may ask their supervisors to be reassigned to tasks more suited for their skills. Keep the conversation going and find encouragement in other employees. 3. Take criticism constructively. Nothing kills motivation more than criticism. When you receive it, write it down. Think about whether it is true and either accept it or deny its ability to get you down. Corrections are often given with good motives, but people are not always the best at wording things gently. Give people the benefit of the doubt and be thankful for the feedback. Many people covet good feedback and instruction for improvement. 4. Challenge yourself. When the task is boring, make a game of it. Set a time-sensitive goal, trying to get a certain amount accomplished by lunchtime or the end of the day. When break time comes, reward your success. If you failed, keep the challenge going. Keep setting new personal records and chart them out. As you see yourself improve, this chart can be a reminder of your abilities that boosts your confidence. 5. Maintain momentum. When you are on a roll with some good speed and quality, don’t entertain the temptation to take a break. Rewarding yourself too early can be counter-productive. Keep the momentum up and push through for a bigger self-reward later. 6. Don’t complain. There’s always something to complain about. This is a broken world and everybody has problems, including you. Don’t dwell on them or speak of them to others or you will kill the motivation of yourself and your coworkers. Thinking often about problems causes bitterness to fester and decreases your job satisfaction. Fight temptation by immediately thinking of the positive side. It will be hard at first because you’re in the habit of noticing inconveniences more easily than blessings, but changing this habit will help you maintain motivation. 7. Keep Good Company. Friends gravitate toward each other based on common experiences and interests. That’s why complainers seek each other out and collectively decrease each other’s motivation. Those who work hard, think positively about their work environment, and spend their conversation swapping jokes and stories will keep a higher motivation throughout their day, workweek, and career. Change your disposition through these practices and help others do the same. These behaviors are their own reward, and as you enjoy them you’ll become more pleasant to others. Hopefully, your new habits will be contagious and affect your entire team of employees.

The quality of employees boils down to two things: they must perform efficiently and work well with others. Mastering these two traits requires discipline. Pouring a lot of effort into creating good habits will cause an employee’s performance improvement to be noticed, increasing the likelihood of getting hired or promoted. Likewise, bad habits may get employees disciplined, demoted, or fired. Good Employee Habits  Repeat your boss’s words. Supervisors are often unsure if employees really understand and accept their instructions. The simplest listening tactic that communicates understanding is to repeat instruction in your own words. This gives your boss the assurance that you know how to do your job well. Anticipate requests. Instead of doing the minimum, do the maximum. You probably have a decent idea of what your boss wants you to do next without them telling you. The more you act responsibly without forcing supervisors to micromanage you, the more they will respect you and favor your service. Build relationships. Supervisors like a team player who works well with them and with other employees. Put some effort into small talk and build connections that will improve your work environment and productivity. Fostering good relationships at work can carry over into personal life, which is often encouraged by management when possible.  Bad Employee Habits  Triggering your boss’ pet peeves. Everyone has irrational behaviors. When supervisors exhibit these, employees tend to respond in bitterness and resentment instead of humility and forgiveness. Instead of resenting your boss and intentionally provoking them or doing things your own way behind their back, consider their pet peeves as opportunities. If you are the only employee who successfully communicates empathy in this area and does not anger your boss, they will notice and favor you. "That’s not the way we’ve always done it." This is one of the most crippling bad habits. The lack of willingness to think creatively or change one’s routine causes employees to resist changes in instruction. Instead of reacting with bitterness at the inconvenience, change your mind and be eager to win your boss’ favor through quick adaptation. Exploiting benefits. You’ve got free coffee in the break room or have an allotted time for breaks. Exploiting these and pushing your boundaries doesn’t go unnoticed as you may think. Continuing to abuse benefits may cause supervisors to enact stricter policies, decreasing your freedoms. Treat your freedoms responsibly and they will expand. When you stick out as one of the few employees who has a good relationship with management, anticipates requests, follows direction, and doesn’t exploit benefits, your supervisors will notice and may give you added freedoms or privileges.

There are many times you come to work with a lot on your mind, and employees, potential hires, and outside salesmen can all sense it. Other times, youarrive in a meeting prepared to negotiate with someone who may incite negative emotions. Depending on the other party, you may feel intimidated. The following are a few things top negotiators rely on to keep emotions out of negotiations.     Find Your Poker Face A great way to start your negotiations training is by spending some time in the mirror. Study what your face looks like when relaxed. Practice various types of smiles and nods. It may feel silly, but once you have begun to associate the feeling of a particular expression with how that expression appears, you can recreate it more easily in the throes of a negotiation.   Breathe Deeply and Focus When continuing your personal negotiation training, it is important to remember to breathe. Focusing on your breath will allow you to keep your systems calm: your heart will beat at a normal pace, your body will be continually oxygenated, and your mind and circulatory system will maintain an even keel. Once you have focused on your breathing, make sure your mind is in the proper place. If you are running a thought on loop about how important this negotiation is or about the rewards or consequences of its outcome, you are likely too far in your own head to project an air of calmness and confidence. Replace those thoughts with ones that induce peace. Think about your children, most recent vacation, or favorite spot to go for a morning run. If an opportunity for some alone time presents itself, amp up your calming practice by leaning back, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breath and a positive, serene scene. Confidence is power, and a collected demeanor will communicate an absolute sureness in your point and goals.   Check Your Tone During your meeting, keep your tone in mind. A low, steady tone with your words properly paced is a good way to ensure any internal emotions you may have are not communicated to your associate. Utilizing these methods, the scales will be tipped greatly in your favor for future negotiations. If you’d like to take your skills to the next level, there are courses in influence training and corporate sales training available that offer even more ideas on how to become an expert negotiator.

There are tons of different studies, statistics, and anecdotal lessons on the emotive impact of body language. According to the overwhelming majority of research and statistics,  body language makes up the largest portion of communication. Most studies show that roughly 70% of communication doesn’t even come out of a person’s mouth, but through their body. What’s interesting is that body language is really just communicating what the mind is really thinking. The body normally responds to the subconscious mind and innately mirrors those conditions in order to communicate what is going on internally. There are plenty of people who write off the power of body language and prefer to listen purely to what a person is saying alone. However, a person has time to think and construct their sentences. They are able to work more out of their ego and shut their mouths if they don’t want to talk. However, it is virtually impossible for a person to shut down their body language without communicating zombie-like behavior. Even when people are quietly listening to someone else in a conversation, they are still communicating with their body language, demeanor and facial expressions. This type of non-verbal communication happens whether they want it to or not. For this reason, many people are fascinated with mastering the interpretation of body language. This is also the reason why many women read tons of articles about romantic body language because they want to know what their men are truly thinking. When people are operating in a business setting, body language is incredibly important because it can play a major role in whether a person experiences success or not. For the business setting, there are two major types of body language: strong and weak. This two types communicate the mind, and the emotional state of the person speaking.   Strong Body Language Strong body language is characterized by a few different components. When a person imagines a symbol of strength, it isn’t difficult to think of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. They are visibly strong with large, lean muscular builds. They are able to spread their arms and defy gravity and space. They each maintain their own presence and make it clear when they enter a room. The majority of these characteristics are communicated on the pages of comic books through depictions of strong body language. In the business setting, people with strong body language usually emit a palpable presence. Whether they are short or tall, they seem to take up space in the room. They will tend to sit in the front and center of a room, and during a discussion, they are the ones most likely to visibly assert themselves and dominate the conversation. When a person with strong body language enters the room, people take notice. People with strong body language have great posture. They stand with their shoulders back and keep their head up. They usually use their hands for gestures and can command control of the room through engaging body language during a discussion. During a business meeting that involves negotiation, strong body language is vital because strength communicates confidence and a person’s ability to win an argument. People are more likely to trust a strong mind and not a weak one.   Weak Body Language Weak body language obviously communicates the exact opposite of its counterpart. Instead of looking like some of the great superheroes, people with weak body language end up mirroring turtles. They are seen mimicking symbols of frailty. People who exude weak body language often shrink in a room. They are much more inclined to pull their bodies close to themselves and take up as little space as possible. They try their best to make sure they’re not seen or heard. They also tend to recluse and disengage during a conversation. They may touch their necks and pull their arms closer to their bodies. These non-verbal cues send the message that a person prefers to be less engaged and is intimidated in a specific setting. People with weak body language also don’t want to sit in an area that will draw attention. They prefer to sit in the corners and if they have a point during a discussion, it is very difficult for them to assert themselves over others. When they are looking to be called on in a classroom setting, they may raise their hands slightly, but the gesture is so small that it can easily go unnoticed by a professor or fellow classmates. The weak body language communicates a person’s lack of confidence in their ability to eloquently deliver their perspective to their colleagues.   Fake It Until You Become It Social psychologist Amy Cuddy delivered an excellent presentation at TED Global where she discussed the power of body language on success. She noted that in corporate settings, the majority of people who communicate powerful body language are usually men. Women are more likely to display weak body language. Women are often cast in social settings as the weaker sex, so there’s no surprise that this translates into business settings. As a woman of influence, she encourages women (and men) to learn to change their mindset in order to display powerful body language. The mind is so powerful because a person’s thoughts become their actions. Cuddy suggests a few practices to help transform the mind for success. She encourages the practice of power poses and positive affirmations. Power poses include stances with hands on hips with feet firmly planted in the ground or arms in the air as if they’re arriving at the finish line of a marathon. For example, a person who is going on a major job interview should prepare to get there a few minutes earlier than expected. Upon arriving at the building, a person should go to a private bathroom stall and give themselves a two-minute pep talk. While they mentally strengthen themselves, they should also stand in the power poses. This may sound bizarre, but her research proved that these tactics can literally help to change the trajectory of an interview. Even though it may feel a bit silly to practice the poses and techniques, it is important to continue to practice them until it feels less awkward. These strategies can subliminally change the mind and encourage a person to begin thinking powerfully. Once a person’s mind is powerful, their body language will follow suit! So, strike a pose!

Some people may feel like negotiation isn’t really a skill-set they need to develop because they don’t work in sales, or law, or sports management or whatever. But the truth is everybody — except maybe for certain categories of criminals and tyrants — negotiates to have their personal needs and interests met. Negotiation isn’t the same thing as manipulation. The difference between those two things hinges on the difference between good faith and bad faith. Negotiation is a good faith effort to have our personal wants and needs met. Here are a few examples of everyday situations in which negotiation becomes necessary: Maybe you need to sell something of value and can’t afford to sacrifice on the price, but the value you imagine isn’t imagined the same way by others. Maybe you need to marshal support of peers and colleagues for an idea you feel strongly about. Perhaps you need to settle a debt. Because situations like these come up all the time, negotiation really is an ordinary, everyday task. It’s just one that requires extraordinary preparation to master. All of us have conversations everyday. And we’ve all heard conversation referred to as an artform. Well, by extension, negotiation is the art of difficult conversations. And prepared negotiation is the art of succeeding in difficult conversations, while retaining amicable relations. So let’s discuss some negotiation training and preparation techniques called the three D’s to help us work toward mastery. Draft Most of us understand how we feel on emotional levels, as opposed to intellectual levels, which means articulating our feeling without allowing emotion to dominate their expression in conversation can often feel a little strange and awkward. There’s a school of thought that characterizes honest communication as the simple act of describing how you feel, and then clearly stating what you want. It’s a simple two-step process. While that may seem overly simplistic at a glance, deeper inspection shows it’s not. Sitting down before hand to gather thoughts and sort out how we feel about the details of a situation, and then ruminate on a workable solution takes our personal, emotional experience and transmutes those vague thoughts into focused and defined concepts that can be expressed clearly. In some cases, like a tense situation or a dispute that requires resolution, the drafting stage can provide some catharsis that purges negative emotions from the situation. Drafting gets to the substance of what you want to say, but it is not the end of the conversation. A couple of other aspects to consider in the drafting stage are: Objectives: What do you hope to accomplish in this negotiation? Can it be broken down into a simple list? Precedents: Can you think of any example where other people faced a similar situation? Where they successful, or did they fail? Is there a lesson for you to draw from in their experience? Anecdotes: You may find that precedents lead to relatable stories. Telling stories is a great method for taking a particular circumstances and making them universally relatable. Consider applying this method without turning into Ben Matlock, if possible. Devil’s Advocate The devil’s advocate stage is where we put the draft we’ve compiled to the test. The goal is to verify whether or not the drafting stage sufficiently exorcised the emotions involved, or if our argument is still under the influence of those emotions in ways that are counterproductive to the goals. If the emotions and the logic don’t merge into a persuasive argument, the devil’s advocate will help reveal which of the pertinent thoughts, feelings, hopes, and expectations should remain on the negotiation table, and which ones should go. Some questions to consider in the devil’s advocate stage are: What happens if things don’t work out? What are some alternate outcomes you’re willing to consider? To what degree do alternative outcomes satisfy your interests? What are the needs and wants of the other party that you may be able to address? What are the other party’s options if they choose not to work it out with you? Recruit a Trusted friend or colleague to play your devil’s advocate. Practice delivering the argument you develop from the drafting stage and have your devil’s advocate pose counterpoints. This will put you in the shoes of the other party. Devil’s advocacy may be an ongoing process. Perhaps more than one redraft will be necessary, so choose someone who can remain involved for as long as possible. Deliver Remember the concept of honest communication from the beginning of this post? Describe how you feel. Then state what you want. Remember how we considered whether or not the idea of saying how you feel and then asking for what you want, was overly-simplistic? It’s not. But it is easier said than done. For most people the hardest part about negotiation is the asking stage. Preparing yourself for the awkward request is the real crux of this process. What makes the hard request easier is smooth and practiced delivery. The final conversation may happen in a different context, like a different time or a different location than expected. There may be unforeseen interruptions, or questions that arise and break up the flow you’ve rehearsed. This possibility also needs to be prepared for. Here are a few tips for that process. Keep your devil’s advocate on hand to act as your delivery coach. Practice delivering your scripted argument, and have your devil’s advocate interrupt with challenges to your argument. The need to negotiate does not arise from people harboring wants and needs they’re not entitled to. Negotiation arises when perfectly legitimate wants and needs are found to be at odds with the wants and needs of others, or vice versa. Those instances in which we must engage with others to find solutions for competing needs and interests are types of negotiations. Power disparities, social dynamics, and the nuances of each person’s individual perspective, and circumstances requires that each of us negotiate with others from time to time, or else resort to crime, tyranny, or the other side of that equation, victimhood and/or martyrdom.

Potential hires want the position you are offering for a number of reasons. While it is unfortunate, desperation sometimes motivates interviewees to tell partial truths, omit details, or blatantly lie. In fact, there are many posts on the internet that encourage white lies that seem "harmless." Several of these deceits are common across multiple industries, and below are the ones employers most frequently see. Lies About Experience This is a top one for many reasons. Often, potential employees find it difficult to break in to the job market with the amount or type of experience they have. For this reason, they are inclined to exaggerate or even fabricate the types of jobs they’ve held in the past. A small amount of negotiations training and influence training, however, can help you weed out sincere candidates from false ones. Are they being general or vague about their duties? Have they mentioned keywords that are irrefutably connected to expertise? Do they make an attempt to navigate away from their past experience rather than expanding upon it?   Educational Exaggeration Negotiation training and corporate sales training both encourage diving deeper to get beneath the top layer of statements. This is a particularly important skill when interviewing a candidate regarding his or her education. Some common lies told by interviewees regarding post-secondary schooling involve areas that will be difficult for employers to verify - i.e., having completed all but three of their courses or having run into administrative issues when filing to graduate. The best way to weed out these lies is by using logic. If a candidate paid for eight semesters of education and faithfully attended their classes, why would they choose to decline a diploma? Would a reasonable person allow administrative issues to negate the investment of time and finances they made?   Lies Regarding Termination of Employment These lies are seemingly easy to verify, but current laws prohibit previous employers from disclosing many details about their employees. Therefore, verifying the accuracy of statements about past jobs falls largely on the shoulders of the potential new employer. If the interviewee’s old offices have given outstanding reviews, this shouldn’t be a difficult process. If, however, they were vague on the phone, consider additional factors. What amount of time did the candidate spend at his or her previous job? How large is the gap in employment between the last position and the one currently interviewing for? Generally, those who make the conscious decision to part from a company leave themselves precious little time before deliberately pursing a new income source. By checking that the statements made by candidates are reasonable, if not verifiable, business owners can ensure they hire the most qualified and deserving candidate.  

Have you ever watched a political debate between U.S. congressmen or senators broadcast on C-Span, and heard one party in the debate accuse the other party of using ‘rhetoric?’ The accusation usually goes, "That’s just more rhetoric from Senator so-and-so," and it’s stated as if to besmirch the good name of rhetoric. At least that seems to be how general audiences are meant to take it anyway, as if rhetoric is some kind of dirty political game. So, let’s get clear about what that word means, just for a second. Simply stated, rhetoric is the logical structure that composes a selection of words into a persuasive, moving, entertaining, and/or instructive message. That means every coherent statement ever uttered followed a rhetorical structure. Yes, that also includes deception, and praise, and flattery. The senator who accuses the other senator of using rhetoric, is himself employing rhetoric. What does that mean? While there may be some real dunces in politics, but most senator types are educated and polished professional communicators. They know what rhetoric is and what it isn’t. And their common condemnation of ‘rhetoric’ as such, is typically a rhetorical ploy to counter a hollow, ideological argument without appearing to categorically renounce the ideology itself, presumably because it’s popular. That’s some pretty clever rhetoric. Wouldn’t you agree? In sales, public speaking, negotiation, argumentation and even personal communication understanding the basics of rhetoric gives us a framework for improvement. So let’s take a look at the rhetoric of some famous speeches. The Gettysburg Address - Abraham Lincoln The world famous ‘Gettysburg Address’ speech was given by President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, PA on November 19, 1863 at the dedication of the National Cemetery. The primary address at the ceremony was delivered by a famous orator at the time, Edward Everett, and was one of two hours. After such a compelling speech, it appeared that Lincoln’s brief but sincere speech hardly even mattered at the time. However, in spite of a bit of criticism from his opponents, the speech was commonly quoted and hugely praised and was soon recognized as a classic masterpiece of outstanding poetry. I Have a Dream - Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous 17-minute long public speech delivered on August 28, 1963, was a direct call to end discrimination and support racial equality. The speech was a defining moment in the history of the American Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King’s speech ranked as one of the top U.S. American speeches of the 20th century conducted by a group of educational scholars regarding public address in 1999. Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation - Franklin Delano Roosevelt One early afternoon, President Franklin D. Roosevelt along with Harry Hopkins (Roosevelt’s chief foreign policy aide) were both interrupted by a call from Henry Stimson (Secretary of War) and were informed that Japan just attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. At around 5pm that evening after numerous meetings with his key military advisers, President Roosevelt decisively and calmly dictated a speech off the top of his head to Grace Tully (Roosevelt’s secretary) to make a request to Congress for a formal declaration of war. Ich bin ein Berliner - John Fitzgerald Kennedy In 1963, President Kennedy gave one of his most moving speeches ever to the world in West Berlin. Besides "ask not", it was the most well-known speech he ever delivered. Those heartfelt words captured the attention of the world regarding what Kennedy considered the warmest spot in the Cold War. Scribbled into his hand at the very last moment, they were his very own words; unlike the majority of his other addresses created by uniquely gifted speechwriters. This was even more amazing since Kennedy had a reputation for being tongue-tied when trying to pronounce or speak foreign languages. Ironically, the most famous four words of the entire speech were in German - Ich bin ein Berliner ("I am one with the people of Berlin"). The Great Silent Majority - Richard Milhous Nixon President Richard Nixon gave his address to the nation regarding the War in Vietnam on November 3, 1969 about his plans to end it. His address is commonly called the ‘Silent Majority’ speech because towards the end he asked for "the great silent majority of my fellow Americans" for support, meaning the ones who were onboard with his policies but never actually spoke up. The President was contrasting these average American citizens without reserve using vocal adversaries of his said policies who demonstrated and protested against the war, like they did in Washington, D.C. in October of that same year. The Military Industrial Complex - Dwight David Eisenhower In President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell address, he cautioned American citizens to keep a wary eye on a growing socioeconomic force he referred to as the ‘military industrial complex.’ Eisenhower proved downright prophetic given that the military industrial complex did indeed develop into a powerful entity in the years following World War II. President Eisenhower’s frank language shocked a few of his followers. However, for most listeners, it appeared obvious that Eisenhower was just stating the obvious. Both World War II and the subsequent Cold War lead to the development of a substantial and strong defense organization. Eisenhower warned that this military industrial complex may eventually weaken or devastate the very principles and institutions it was created to protect in the end. Kenyon College Commencement "This is Water" - David Foster Wallace It was only one time that David Foster Wallace ever spoke publicly regarding his point of view on life. The parable "This is Water," was delivered during a commencement speech addressed at Kenyon College in 2005. The speech itself encapsulates Wallace’s gifted mind as well as his trademark humility due to the way it gave meaning to the lonely, beautiful thoughts that roamed about in his head and the way he made people ‘think’ better in general. "This is Water," is a meaningful parable about the process of constructing meaning from one’s own life, no matter the path it follows. A Left-Handed Commencement Address - Ursula Le Guin Le Guin’s "A Left-Handed Commencement Address" perfectly summarizes the area of feminism that highlights the fundamental peaceful qualities of women compared to most men. Le Guin spoke the established binary hierarchies that, as she saw it, govern society. She pointed out how historically, men have always fought wars and were generally thought of as ‘opposites’: fail/succeed, lose/win, weak/strong, false/true, as Le Guin so eloquently put it — women have lived, and have therefore been loathed for living. She goes on to say that women are the entire side of life that involves and takes responsibility for everything that’s unclean, animal, uninhibited, passive, and obscure — the valley of the deep, depths of life. On the Adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous 1948 speech is considered by a number of experts as one of the most amazing and profound speeches ever addressed throughout modern history. Ms. Eleanor, the widow of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave the address in Paris, France on December 9, 1948. She spoke to the United Nations at a precarious time when the Soviet Union was throwing its weight around following the Second World War in Eastern Europe. Women’s Rights are Human Rights - Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton Sometimes the facts carry enough rhetorical weight to speak for themselves. When facts of that sort are delivered by a significantly authoritative presenter, you have the makings of a very potent speech. When Hillary Rodham Clinton took the stage at the UN Conference on Women in 1995, it was her detailed list of atrocities against women and young girls that captured the audience’s interest. It wasn’t that they were unaware of the crimes, since the majority of the audience were advocates for the rights of women in many countries across the world in their own right. But, the key difference was that such an important political female voice brought the issues to light and therefore took on a whole new meaning.