Dive into our blog archives, authored by our in house experts! Scroll below to read their work and deepen your understanding of negotiation, influence, dispute resolution, relationship management, and beyond.
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Negotiations aren’t just about offers and counter-offers. The state of your connection with your counterpart can make all the difference to how things turn out. That’s why rapport building is critical. It helps to create a collaborative dynamic that’s more conducive to achieving high value outcomes. But how do you build rapport effectively? Here are […]
At CMA, we spend a lot of time with people assisting them to prepare for their negotiations. A frequent refrain is, “But I never have enough time to prepare.” This may be true, and there are certainly going to be times when you don’t have as much time as you would like to prepare for […]
CMA Associate Rebecca Stowe offers her advice in response to a recent query on a property purchase: Q. I’m trying to purchase a house, which has been advertised as “private sale” by a real estate agent. The price the vendor has specified seems ambitious, and as a purchaser, I’m keen to pay as low a price […]
Most of us have negotiated to buy a car at least once in our lives. It can be an exhilarating and somewhat daunting experience. Traditionally, men have been perceived (whether true or not) as having the upper hand in the car negotiation stakes. But is that true today? Let’s find out. What the research says… […]
In a previous post, we discussed why you should make the first offer in a negotiation. But what should you do if they get in first and make the initial offer? The advice here is short and simple: always counter their initial offer before striking a deal. The power of countering This might come as […]
Power in negotiation depends on perceptions. If you perceive your counterpart as powerful, they’ll often be able to exert more influence over you. But what if that ‘power’ isn’t real? What if it’s deliberately fabricated to intimidate you into conceding to their demands? The best negotiators can effectively manage these intimation tactics. But, to do […]
When it comes to effective negotiations, the clock can be a game-changer. Not only can certain times of day impact your outcome, the duration of a negotiation is a key factor too. Especially when it’s used as a dirty negotiation trick… While negotiations often take place within a limited space of time, in some instances […]
Have you ever faced a negotiator who presents with ‘limited authority’ to make a deal? Think of the company rep who’s fully authorised to refuse every option you might offer, but has no power to approve even your reasonable counter-offers. Of course, sometimes the ‘limited authority’ claim is entirely genuine. Not every negotiator you face […]
Dirty negotiation tricks – we don’t recommend you use them but it is important to be able to deal with them, and protect yourself, when you’re up against them. In our last post, we covered the good cop / bad cop approach. Now let’s explore the age-old ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ tactic. The final offer… You may have […]
When it comes to negotiation approaches, it’s no surprise that some negotiators use dirty tricks. Many of the participants in our workshops and programs are keen to learn how to counter these tricks – ethically – when they come up against them. One of the most recognisable tricks is one you’re probably familiar with: the […]