Insights

Positive body language including the use of the smile is commonly regarded as being helpful for engendering feelings of rapport and connectedness between people. As negotiators, we may smile when seeking to create an atmosphere of friendliness and willingness to work together.

After the failed meeting in Hanoi about North Korea’s denuclearisation between USA President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump expressed to the media “Sometimes you have to walk”.

There is considerable evidence that men routinely claim a greater share of resources when negotiating. Research shows that differences in ethical standards are a plausible reason for this disparity with men consistently showing more acceptance of, and willingness to use, unethical negotiation tactics.

What could have United done to avoid such an incident? What elementary negotiation tips could have been applied?

The skilled negotiator appreciates that verbal communication includes listening as well as talking. Good listening is regarded as the most critical of our negotiating skills. It requires constant practice. When negotiating, we make decisions based on what we hear, as well as on what we observe.

De meeste onderhandelaars denken dat ze bedrog goed in de gaten hebben. De waarheid is dat de meesten van ons daar niet goed in zijn.

Emotie versus logica. We ervaren allemaal wel eens sterke gevoelens en in spannende situaties kunnen deze sneller de overhand nemen.

Empathie kunnen tonen is een absolute vereiste voor een effectieve onderhandelaar. Het is bewezen dat een gebrek aan empathie leidt tot ...

Open questions are the most well-defined but least understood or used skills. People intend to - and believe they do - use them, but a closer inspection often shows their language is actually dominating, in a friendly kind of way.

The partnership agreement of a nationwide law firm needed renegotiating, amidst a culture of discontent and mistrust. We were called upon to help aid communication and negotiation within the organisation. The first national partners' meeting was held, as well as a series of negotiations planned and facilitated by us.