concession

Something, such as a point previously claimed in argument, that is later conceded.

The following items are tagged concession.

Managing Expectations

Posted by & filed under Conflict Management.

Successful negotiators work hard to ensure that when they and their counterpart leave a negotiation, both sides feel satisfied with the agreement. Why should you care whether the other side is pleased with the deal or not? First, because satisfied negotiators are more likely to uphold the terms of a deal. Even a lengthy contract cannot cover every possible contingency, and the costs of enforcement are high.

Are They Really Irrational?

Posted by & filed under Negotiation Skills.

Adapted from “Is Your Counterpart Irrational…Really?” by Deepak Malhotra (professor, Harvard Business School), first published in the Negotiation newsletter, March 2006.

Negotiators often struggle with the task of bargaining with those who behave rashly, reason poorly, and act in ways that contradict their own self-interest. But as it turns out, behavior that negotiators often view as

Tempering Your Temper

Posted by & filed under Conflict Resolution, Daily, Uncategorized.

Adapted from “The Downside of Anger,” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

According to conventional wisdom, responding angrily to another negotiator’s offer sometimes helps you get more of what you want.

This notion is confirmed by some recent studies. In 2004, for example, professor Gerben A. van Kleef of the University of Amsterdam and his colleagues

Dealing With a Stubborn Counterpart

Posted by & filed under Daily, Negotiation Skills.

Adapted from “Stubborn or Irrational? How to Cope with a Difficult Negotiating Partner,” by Lawrence Susskind (professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

Suppose you’re an experienced salesperson entering into negotiations for a contract renewal with a company you’ve successfully done business with for years. Recently, your counterpart at the other company

How to Turn a Maybe Into a Yes

Posted by & filed under Daily, Negotiation Skills.

Adapted from “Closing the Deal,” by Michael Wheeler (professor, Harvard Business School), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

You’ve followed the negotiation guidebooks to a T, uncovered the parties’ key interests, brainstormed creative solutions, and even developed good rapport with your counterpart. You’ve done everything right…but you still don’t have agreement.

How do you turn the other

Pitfalls of the Powerful

Posted by & filed under Business Negotiations, Daily.

Adapted from “Are You Too Powerful for Your Own Good?” by Ann E. Tenbrunsel (professor, Notre Dame University), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

Imagine that you’re a national account sales manager and are preparing to negotiate your annual raise. You have met all your sales objectives and feel that you are not only a valuable

Do You Really Know Yourself?

Posted by & filed under Conflict Resolution, Daily.

Adapted from the Negotiation newsletter.

Imagine an upcoming negotiation. How will you respond if your opponent seems bent on provoking an argument? If you’re like most people, you’ll have difficulty predicting your precise response. Professor Dan Gilbert of Harvard University found that when asked how a positive or negative event will affect their happiness, people accurately

Deal with Last-Minute Demands

Posted by & filed under Business Negotiations, Daily.

Adapted from “When They Slice the Deal Too Thin,” by Michael Wheeler (professor, Harvard Business School), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

Suppose that, after months of negotiation, you reach a detailed agreement with a customer and shake hands. A week later, the customer’s procurement officer calls to tell you that there have to be some

Offering Gifts—With Strings Attached

Posted by & filed under Business Negotiations, Daily.

Adapted from “Give a Gift that Keeps on Giving (to You),” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

It was the kind of windfall that would make any employee feel appreciated. In October 2009, Jenna Lyons, the creative director of New York–based fashion retailer J. Crew, received a cash bonus of $1 million from her boss, J.

The drawbacks of goals

Posted by & filed under Daily, Negotiation Skills.

Adapted from “Aim High, Improve Negotiation Results,” by Maurice E. Schweitzer (professor, University of Pennsylvania), first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

Goal setting affects performance. In a review of goal-setting research, scholars Deborah Zetik and Alice Stuhlmacher of DePaul University found that when negotiators set specific, challenging goals, they consistently outperform those who set lower or