When Did We Stop Listening? Well, when did we stop listening? It’s a question many experienced negotiation speakers are starting to ask. As a negotiation and leadership keynote speaker, I stress the importance of listening rather than talking. In fact, prior to many negotiations or conversations, we believe we know what the other person is thinking. Rather than actively listening in the negotiation or indeed, in any business conversation...
As a Negotiation Skills Keynote Speaker in my keynote and break-out session talks for Pharma Companies on sales and negotiation skills, I ask the question: is negotiation really selling or is selling really negotiation? Whether we are selling or negotiating, we know that listening skills are crucial, but are there other things the two have in common? Sales & Negotiation Skills In a recent article for the Harvard Law...
Are You Listening or Leaping? In my area of expertise, being a negotiation and listening listening skills motivational keynote speaker, I often ask my in-person or virtual attendees if, during a negotiation, they listen or leap? I am usually met with head scratching. Negotiation and listening skills are inter-twined. As a keynote speaker and consultant on negotiation skills, I have sat through hundreds, if not thousands of negotiations. Needing...
All That Stinks Here Isn’t Cheese As a negotiation skills keynote speaker and breakout speaker who speaks nationwide on negotiation, I will admit two things upfront: I actually used the expression “all that stinks here isn’t cheese,” with a cheese-making ingredient client, and that I don’t know anything about cheesemaking. Well, Excuuuse Me As to the expression, it led to me helping the sales manager at the ingredient company...
Negotiation Skills Speaker Learning effective negotiation skills isn’t a talent reserved for an elite few. As a negotiation skills speaker, I often remind those who attend my negotiation skills keynote addresses and workshops, that 70 percent of the sale is made before you get there.“Well then, Mike, what is the other 30 percent?” It’s You! The unknown factor in any negotiation, especially for people in sales and marketing, is...
Mike Hourigan, your Negotiation Skills Speaker In my specialty as a negotiation skills speaker and negotiation expert, I have learned that the key to an effective negotiation is not to “win” but to reach a mutually beneficial compromise. To that end, when I teach negotiation skills in my keynote speeches or negotiation skills breakout sessions, class participants are frequently surprised when I stress the importance of making the other...
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....
It’s Not About the PPE, It’s About the People As a virtual safety speaker and in-person safety speaker, I stress that safety is never about wall posters or personal protective equipment, it’s about the people. In fact, safety is a negotiation. People, Not Posters When I speak on safety, either virtually or face-to-face, I like to lead audiences through an exercise. I have them create a picture in their...
The Need for Virtual Negotiation Skills Speakers hasn’t changed, but the Times sure have!
My focus as a virtual negotiation speaker for accountants is not to teach you to “win.” In these difficult times called the new normal, my focus is to help your firm understand its negotiation aims without discouraging your present or future associations.
“Winning” a one-time negotiation may be fine if...
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...
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...
Don’t Just Build Your Team, Negotiate It In my view, the best way to go about team building is to understand that building great teams is an ongoing negotiation. Team building should never be a random process but an intentional progression where dissimilar staff members are brought together to achieve a common purpose. Team building can be a dream or a nightmare; the difference is negotiation. Stop with the...
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...
...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...