"Ask for More."

Negotiation is always about steering a relationship, and the first relationship we need to steer is the one we have with ourselves.

Thinking about what has gone right in the past can be incredibly effective in helping us to be creative in solving the problem before us now.

Are we asking the right question when we go into a negotiation? Apple’s ipod was enormously successful but Steve Jobs noticed how many devices people were handling and realized he had solved the wrong problem! The solution of course changed our lives.

Asking someone an open question can open the door to amazing conversations. Try this… “tell me!” the question that leads people to tell us who they are.

Sometimes we struggle to ask the right question with the people who are most important to us. When we reach impasse in a negotiation, ask “what are your concerns.” Listen, summarize, find a way to work together despite the concerns. Then write the other side’s victory speech so they can sell the solution to their constituents.

Ask for more for ourselves and our institutions.

See AlexCarter, “Ask for More” https://alexcarterasks.com