In my role as a virtual negotiation skills keynote speaker, whenever I present a topic as a virtual negotiation skills training speaker in the area of virtual negotiation skills or soon (I hope) in-person negotiation skills training, I am frequently asked: “Mike what is the most important negotiation skill that I need to bring with me to the meeting?” Actually, there are four negotiation skills every negotiator should possess....
In my specialty as a virtual negotiation skills speaker, I have had the opportunity to teach negotiation skills training on an international basis. In fact, just last week I delivered a virtual keynote on negotiation skills to an international organization where 14 nations were represented. The amazing questions I received about negotiation skills from the virtual audience were equally excellent and insightful no matter where in the world the...
As a negotiation listening skills speaker, I am often asked why so many negotiations don’t show positive results. My response is that participants often talk right past the important points. Listening Skills are The Hidden Element In my talks as a negotiation skills speaker, I often ask those who are participating virtually or in-person if anyone ever taught them how to listen? I’m usually met with blank stares. It’s a...
As a virtual negotiation skills speaker, when presenting to groups I stress that many virtual negotiations are often “over” before you even have the chance to talk. In the “olden days” of about eight months ago, when we negotiated in-person, we had many visual cues, voice inflections and other intangibles to judge what the other side was thinking. Now, we have big and little squares on our computer screens....
As a change management speaker, both in my virtual and in-person talks, I tell my audiences that navigating change is all about negotiation. It is your life skills that let you frame the negotiation. Let me give you an unfortunate, but worthwhile example. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a Disease. How We Face it is a Negotiation. We are currently locked in a battle against an unseen foe: the...
Inspirational Negotiation Skills & Techniques Speaker It is always an honor for me as a motivational negotiation skills and negotiation skills training speaker to offer helpful hints on effective methods to improve negotiation bargaining positions. In my keynote addresses, I frequently talk about the many negotiation skills that can be effectively used to ensure that the potentially equitable deal is not diminished by wasting away opportunities and leaving us...
Don’t Let Your Debits Take Away from Your Credits When I deliver motivational speeches as a negotiation skills speaker for accountants, I talk about the two sides of presenting to existing and potential clients. In making presentations, accounting firms must remember that negotiation skills with a current or potential client break down into content and techniques. They are distinctly different skills. Accounting Negotiation Skills: Content Most accounting firms presenting...
It’s Not the What, But the Why In my keynote and breakout sessions I talk as a negotiation skills speaker on workplace communication, I often say that above all, successful negotiation skills are about successful communication skills, where parties need to get to the “why” and not worry about the what. If I am negotiating with you, I can try to give you what you want if I know...
It will surprise no one reading this post that negotiation skills training is needed so that you and the other party can ultimately arrive at an equitable solution. Negotiating Skills is something you’ve probably tried since grade school. Remember when you were trading baseball or Pokémon cards in school? It is possible, you may still be mad at yourself for trading a Pikachu or A-Rod card for two or three...
In speaking and teaching on negotiation skills for association executives, I am all too familiar with the pressures on association meeting planners these days. Whether you are a professional meeting planner, work for a professional planner or your boss has thrown a meeting project in your lap, nothing about learning the negotiation skills for an annual meeting, quarterly meeting or regional training sessions is easy. In fact, it’s become...
Mike Hourigan, Inspirational Speaker on Negotiation Skills and Team Building Using Negotiation Skills to Eliminate Silo Thinking When I present keynotes and breakout session talks on negotiation skills to eliminate silo thinking, in the Q&A session I am often asked what the relationship is between negotiation skills and team building. The short answer is “Everything!” Negotiation skills are the ultimate team building exercise because developing negotiation skills eliminates the...
You’re a Professional Manufacturer’s Rep, but Who’s Representing You? My negotiation skills keynote speaking for manufacturers’ reps and manufacturers’ reps workshops are based on real-life experience. I started my career as a manufacturer’s rep, then I successfully managed teams of manufacturers’ reps for a major corporation. As a negotiation skills speaker, my background as a manufacturer’s rep was invaluable and also eye-opening. One serious observation I made is...
How Much is Not Enough? In my work as a negotiation skills speaker for independent contractors and co-workers, whenever I deliver a keynote speech at an industry association, I am typically asked: “Why do we always feel we’re never getting enough for our work?” The question is increasing in frequency as the number of independent workers has skyrocketed. In 2018, The Brookings Institute estimated that there are 15.5 million...
Every Aspect of Healthcare is a Negotiation Skill Healthcare Negotiation Skills Speaker Mike Hourigan is a nationally recognized Negotiation Skills Keynote Speaker on healthcare negotiation skills, who often talks to groups of healthcare professionals who don’t normally associate negotiation skills with their profession. Negotiation skills in healthcare are not only important to the practice of medicine but lives may depend on it. When I speak on the topic of negotiation...
...to a lot of people, that is. Having difficulty with negotiations certainly doesn't mean that you or your employees aren't intelligent, capable, or good people. Many people who face challenges when it comes to negotiation often place the blame on shyness and being introverted, or simply disliking confrontation and preferring an easy and agreeable way out of a sticky situation. Which are definitely good reasons one may find themselves being...
The two fields don't quite sound related: tourism and learning how to become a better negotiator. But actually, they have more intersection than you'd think! First off, travel sites are coming up like weeds nowadays. There's stalwarts in the industry but now you also got all these smaller nicheourism companies out there. How are you going to negotiate competitive deals and loyalty when most travelers can look up the...
A lot of things may have changed about sales and managing a sales team in the 21st century. But there's one thing that definitely hasn't changed: negotiation skills are so crucial for your sales people because 70% of purchase decisions are now made well before any contact with a salesperson is made. People are doing their research online, asking friends and family on social media about your products and...
Do Millennials really need soft skills training? It's been said countless times over: Millennials are sorely lacking in soft skills. Millennials primary and postsecondary education has been drastically different in many ways from that of previous generations. More emphasis is placed on how Millennials develop hard skills that can be easily measured. It might be with a certificate, degree, or perhaps their own project such as a blog or...
Mike Hourigan is an experienced keynote speaker and breakout session leader with the uncanny ability to make large events feel intimate, and intimate groups feel epic. Offering a variety of popular topics as well as speeches customized to your company culture, Mike’s most in-demand sessions focus on leadership and communication, sales training, negotiation skills and change management. Keynote and Breakout Topics From the art and science of leadership to...