Negotiating is the game of life.  Whenever you attempt to reconcile differences, manage conflict, resolve disputes, establish or adjust relationships you are engaged in the process of negotiations.  While people accept the importance of this learned skill in diplomacy and labor relations they often fail to see the opportunities that exist for them to gain a better mastery in their daily lives via negotiating know-how.

How does one become a good salesperson?

It’s not magic; it’s hard work. A few people have a natural talent for selling, but most people must practice, then practice more, then practice more. It’s just like football. You need a good coach and lots of practice at basic skills, like asking good questions.

1. Caring Too Much
For at least forty years I have referred to negotiating as a game, where you should care, really care.....but not t-h-a-t much. Based upon my personal experience and observation of others, it struck me early in my career, that when a negotiator had an overwhelming need to make a good deal he or she was handicapped.
 

The current issue of Success Magazine has a quick, one-page article listing the ten lessons learned by Neil Rackham, author of the best seller, Spin Selling. Each is explained in more detail, but to give you the flavor, here are the bullet points.

Before you even contact the other side, think about your interests and concerns and what’s really important to you. This is necessary so you can formulate a content goal, which should be specific, precise, and measurable. It’s the what (substance) that you wish to attain in the final agreement.

            The most difficult time to step up and muster confidence is in a stressful moment, those occasional few minutes when all eyes are on you and your entire future seems at stake. In these critical moments, you can either freeze or choose to act.

There was a time, earlier in my career, when I assumed that if I simply worked hard, kept my head down, and stayed out of office politics, I’d get ahead. I believed, as many women do, that my effort and talent would speak for themselves. Promotions and raises would steadily come my way as my boss saw the fruits of my labor. So, I spent most days hunkered down in my cube or working diligently at client sites. Forget going to lunch with colleagues or spending a few minutes at the beginning of my day to have coffee in the break room. I was too busy writing proposals, updating project plans, and creating detailed PowerPoint presentations.

Einstein once said, "Every child is born a genius." But the reason why most people do not function at genius levels is because they are not aware of how creative and smart they really are.

The starting point of great success and achievement has always been the same. It is for you to dream big dreams. There is nothing more important, and nothing that works faster than for you to cast off your own limitations than for you to begin dreaming and fantasizing about the wonderful things that you can become, have, and do.

It started on a visit to Microsoft. I entered Building 26 of what were then 28 on the seemingly endless Redmond campus, and felt something. I realized I had felt that before.

Walt Disney put his heart and soul into everything he did. He immersed himself in his studio’s projects to the point where even up till the last days of his life, he would stay long after everyone else had gone home and visit his animators’ desks to check on the day’s work and make suggestions for improvements.

It took me the better part of my life to make it to Walt Disney World, but when I finally took my first trip there in 2004 I immediately became a huge fan of the man behind all of the magic, Walt Disney.

"We need to think outside the box." No, you don't.

How do we decide who people really are -- and whether we should retain their services?

Networking at a Move Ahead 1 event is a fantastic way of getting your name, product or service out in front of potential customers. In fact, we’re delighted at the number of relationships that have been forged at our events that have led to more sales and sustained growth for our loyal attendees and sponsors. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few things you can do to take advantage of the great opportunities MA1 events present.

Charisma is not some unidentifiable quality that only a few can possess. I've identified 43 techniques to increase your CQ (Charisma Quotient). If you want to be more effective with others, you want the ultimate edge over your competition by developing charisma.

Content excerpted from an article by Alex Gennis for the Princeton Business Journal. - In a recent address to Princeton University students and community residents at the university’s Whig Hall, leading economic journalist and business forecaster, Knight Kiplinger, said that the United States economy is facing an optimistic future despite recent events that may suggest otherwise. Kiplinger, a frequent guest on CNN and CNBC, and who has also appeared on “Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser,” “The Today Show,” “CBS This Morning,” and “The Larry King Show,” said, "(In the past 15 years) the U.S. rate of growth has been far and away the strongest among all the major industrial nations of the western world."

I spend so much time with you talking about advances, current research and the future, sometimes I neglect to cover the basics. This article will help everyone catch up in the most important area of communication…the non-verbal aspects.

By Kevin Hogan - Reading, decoding and interpreting body language is art and science! Every action or micro-action takes place within a context and in reaction to other actions that go on around the individual. Body language has meaning that few understand and most mis-interpret. This free article will show you some of the basic and advanced techniques used to interpret body language! Flirting and sexual body language is something you can quickly spot in a woman's body language as well as a man's in both business and personal context. Body language revealing lying is easily identified in both business and personal context. Nonverbal communication is the least understood and most important facet of communication. The course from which this article is adapted, will take you through step by step so you will understand body language quickly and accurately.

Have you ever walked into a room and couldn't remember what you went there for? Have you ever grasped the hand of a potential client and then when the handshake broke, the name seemed to disappear from your memory? Or have you ever left a prospect and as you drove away remembered a key point that you should have shared with them?

In fact, books sell far better at bookstores than they do at trade shows or supermarkets or pubs. That's not news to you, I hope.

Be a Better Liar
If you want to attract customers in an increasingly competitive world, it helps to tell tales about your products. Just make sure your lie is true.

by Special Guest Contributor Jeffrey Gitomer

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - April 2005
By Special Guest Columnist, Dr. Bob Nelson

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - January 2005
By Special Guest Columnist, Chris Ruisi

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - January 2005
By Special Guest Columnist, Brian Dodge

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - December 2004
By Special Guest Columnist, Brian Dodge

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - November 2004
By Special Guest Columnist, Brian Dodge

Move Ahead 1 Advance News - October 2004
Guest Columnist Jeffrey Gitomer