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February 8, 2010
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Leaders’ Negotiation Skills:
The much vaunted United Nations conference at Copenhagen is over – but not the wheeling and dealing that led to a much criticized conference statement which promised some improvements in carbon emissions, but held no one accountable for any targets. From the outset, from a leadership perspective the challenge was huge: 15,000 delegates and officials, 5,000 journalists and 98 world leaders attempting to agree on something – ANYTHING. Essentially, the delegates were split into two broad camps – the developed countries resisting an agreement that would legally bind them to cut emissions by a certain amount by 2020; and the developing world that wanted more help to reduce their emissions, and also to avoid being tied down to legal agreements that might both save the planet and nix their growing economies.
These were dense, multilateral negotiations, and here are what we can learn from the negotiation skills displayed by the players. China, one of the world’s biggest polluter (bit not by a per capita basis) adopted two effective negotiation tactics:…..
…..for the rest of the feature, go to The Asian Negotiator (see http://theasiannegotiator.wordpress.com) our new blog on negotiating your best and highest futures
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THE LEADERSHIP MOMENT
A FEW WORDS FROM DAVID LIM, CHIEF MOTIVATION OFFICER
A boy gathers up his football, assembles his buddies to plan the game they have against another bunch of local kids at the park. A shopfloor worker holds an informal lunchtime meeting about a safety issues. What is going here? Nothing but simple everyday leadership. Leadership is not a high level, complex skill reserved for the big shots. Leadership is for everyone who has ever decided to take upon a task or worked with a group of people sharing a common goal.
In that journey they learn how to crystallise words into action, win buy-in from others if needed, retain clarity of what they need to do, and move to action. What people do not need are distractions, put-downs, naysayers. So what can you today? Ask your colleague about a leadership moment they experienced in the past week – discuss how they performed, and what they could do even better. It starts with such simple steps.
Have a great month ahead!
David Lim,
Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)
“Its not how much you know, but how much you apply what you know, everyday, towards a goal.”
David Lim
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A FEW WORDS FROM DAVID LIM, CHIEF MOTIVATION OFFICER
I started this business 10 years ago, just recovering from six months of paralysis from Guillain Barre Syndrome. From mainly keynotes, the business grew to include, by 2003, teambuilding, and then organisational development solutions. In 2010, we are rolling our suite of leadership negotiation skills, with an Asia focus.
Highlights of the past decade?
Too many, I guess, but the climbing highlights definitely include my comeback climbs on Aconcagua(2000), Everest(2001) and the six virgin peaks climbed and named in the Tien Shan ranges (2005 & 2009). Professionally, some great moments included presentations to the 12,000 people at the Asia-Pacific Life Insurance Congress, in 2003, breaking into the India market, doubling our revenue margins each year from 2002 – 2005, husky-sledding with clients in the Arctic circle, amongst others! In August this year, receiving the coveted Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) credential made the year for me. The CSP is the highest accreditation in our field, and held by fewer than 10% of the 5,000-odd professional speakers worldwide.
But best of all is getting feedback from you to say how we actually changed people and teams for the better.
This year, we wrapped up a year-long project with Russell Investments Asia where the final, measurable output was a perceived improvement by at least 50% in every one of the eight key team skills we measure. So from my team of great associates, and myself, thank you so much for letting us share your journey.
Have a great month ahead!
David Lim,
Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)
Chief Motivation Officer
Ask us at office@everestmotivation.com for our solutions
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Leaders Negotiation Skills Part 2: Changing the Shape of Money
As a one-time vendor to Intel (we sold them some motivational skills solutions), I received a note from them today encouraging me to check on their new vendor payment system that allowed vendors to offer a discount to Intel in return for processing payments faster. In fact, when many large multinational have Byzantine payment processes that can delay you getting your funds, this is a nice option. I would prefer, however, if they just improved the speed at which people got paid!
What pisses many small business off is the ridiculous 60 or 90 day payment terms for even the most modest of sums. Imagine if the CEOs of some large companies were paid their salaries 2 – 3 months after the fact….
But back on topic. One of the cool negotiation tools you can use is to change the shape of the money. What I mean, is that in Asia, some decisions can be made very quickly if you offer a courtesy savings in exchange of payment upfront. In fact, just this week, I offered a 5% savings to an India petrochemical giant so that I could get my whole consulting fee paid upfront. When you factor in the hassle, delays and pursuit of payment after the fact, 5% is worth it, let me tell you. So here are some ways you can change the shape of money: ………
…..for the rest of the feature, go to The Asian Negotiator (see http://theasiannegotiator.wordpress.com) our new blog on negotiating your best and highest futures
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I have a supplier in China - in 2006 his business was on the verge of collapsing before winning my business. Within a year he was exporting 20 containers per month due to my patronage. However after 2 years he decided bypass me, go direct & cut corners in his quality. This cost him close to US$250,000 when he had to compensate clients for his shoddy goods . And yet he refused to accept that this was his fault , and he blamed others & continued to lie. I still believe in karma - the one up there rewards..honesty.
P/S; Enjoying reading your newsletter. |
Cheers.
Adrian Lim | Director KHAL International (S) Pte Ltd
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LEADERSHIP NEGOTIATION (PART 1)
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What’s the skill most underrated in university syllabi, and in business? If you said NEGOTIATION, you win! If you think about it , our success in business and life often revolves around negotiating with our peers, clients and family members. Starting this month, you are welcome to not only the content of the Life Without Limits e-newsletter on leadership and motivation, but get access to The Asian Negotiator (see http://theasiannegotiator.wordpress.com) our new blog on negotiating your best and highest futures. This month, I talk about a negotiation skill called The Nibble:
In many common transactions, value is given, and the negotiations often then boil down to price/fee.
Great negotiators know that they can almost always get a small item thrown in by asking for it at the time they offer to close the deal. Both timing and the size of the concession are critical here.
At a key stage of a recent negotiation when it seemed like a deal would go through, I would ask at a late stage for a small concession or a ‘goody’ that was of value to me. Your chances are higher if this tactic of nibbling at concessions is done when the other side is quite keen on closing the deal, AND the nibble is from a piece of cheese of lower actual value to them.
….for the rest of the article, go to http://theasiannegotiator.wordpress.com
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