Join us September 10-12, October 15-17, or December 10-12 for Negotiation and Leadership. Designed to accelerate your negotiation capabilities, Negotiation and Leadership (formerly known as the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives) examines core decision-making challenges, analyzes complex negotiation scenarios, and provides a range of competitive and cooperative negotiation strategies. … read more »

In early February, following months of difficult negotiations, the attorneys general of 49 states (all but Oklahoma) and the Obama administration reached a settlement agreement with five of the nation’s largest banks aimed at improving the stability of the U.S. housing market and punishing the banks for foreclosure abuses, the New York Times reports.

The deal was rooted in an investigation … read more »

When life becomes routine we are more likely to overlook details or, conversely, we cannot see the forest for the trees. In both instances, what we may lack is a creative outlook on the situation at hand. In negotiations, creativity can lead to value-creation for both parties. Coming up with innovative ideas in the middle of the collaborative process can … read more »

The Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School and the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) will jointly honor former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker, III with the 2012 Great Negotiator Award on Thursday, March 29, 2012, at the Ames Courtroom, Austin Hall, Harvard Law School.

The Great Negotiator Award event will include discussions with … read more »

Often it is the relatively small details of an agreement that can cause the most consternation in negotiation. When viewed in light of the big picture, these details can be of minor importance, but while in the heat of the action they can become points of contention capable of derailing the process altogether, especially if these points are left unresolved … read more »

Unless your official title is “lawyer” or “agent” you probably don’t think of yourself as an agent. But if you’ve ever represented a family member, your boss, your department, or your organization in a negotiation, you’ve served as that party’s agent.

Representing others at the bargaining table creates both opportunities and hazards. In their book, Negotiating on Behalf of Others (Sage, … read more »

Imagine that you are about to begin a negotiation whose subject matter is squarely within your area of responsibility at my company. However, the dollar amounts at stake are so large that you are tempted to kick it upstairs to your boss, or at least involve your boss directly in the negotiation. What are the pros and cons of doing … read more »

“The Secret Talks That Led to the Fall of Apartheid”

with

Michael Young

Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Time: 7:30 – 9 PM

Where: Langdell North, Harvard Law School

Event is free and open to the public; Refreshments will be served
Co-sponsored by: Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Mediation Program, Harvard Negotiation Law Review, and Harvard Negotiators

Speaker Bio
In the 1980′s, Michael … read more »

Hostage negotiations are challenging in any situation, but the Israeli-Palestinian prisoner exchange involving Gilad Shalit in 2011 was more challenging than most.  Learning lessons from this exchange was the topic of a panel discussion, entitled “In the Aftermath of the Shalit Deal: Insights regarding Hostage-Barricade Situations and Hostage Negotiations,” held at Haifa University’s School of Laws in December 2011.

The panel … read more »

During a meeting with a potential customer, a new salesperson leaves the room several times to make phone calls. Each time when she returns, she tells the customer she can’t accept the terms they just negotiated. Exasperate by her apparent lack of authority, the customer ends the meeting abruptly.

As this scenario shows, your counterpart’s constituents are bound to play a … read more »