“We don’t negotiate, we don’t need that in our organization. We get along well with each other,ˮ the HR manager of a renowned company told me. Regarding the questions: “Are you and your superior always of the same opinion? Have there never been any conflicts in your team? Are your customers always satisfied with your…
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Skillful negotiation solves problems and strengthens cooperation. But the path to a solution is sometimes bumpy, especially when a lot is at stake. I learned early on at the negotiating table how good negotiators deal with bottlenecks – and I learned from the best. Negotiate strategically – a lesson from top class negotiators My first…
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When external project managers encounter resistance As an external project manager, are you familiar with situations like that? The project kick-off 6 months ago was successful, and you could hardly wait to show your client that you are even more capable than he thought. As the project manager, you were full of energy when you…
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What can be learned – What is in leadership DNA – How can you change from being a rough diamond into a brilliant leader? My colleague is convinced that “You can’t simply learn leadership – it’s a talent. It’s just as innate as is common senseˮ. Master’s degrees, courses, seminars that promise the participants that…
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“Ms. Ionescu, I like your concept, I like you, but … you really ought to change your company name. Using a word like “Growˮ in this time, when facts clearly show that our economy is already being driven into a very deep trough, awakens false expectations. How can people and businesses grow when all ways…
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To lead or not to lead – that is the question “The project ended in disaster! Now I’m working on improving the mistakes made in the last months and getting the motivation of those involved back on track. I don’t understand what the problem was because we hired the best minds and the start was…
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“I make sure that the tasks get done. How do I do that? I give precise instructions and check carefully so that no mistakes are made. But then mistakes do happen and I don’t understand that.ˮ “When I let my team work independently on the last project, there were problems with clients and since then…
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Many of my clients are already feeling the fact that the current crisis is hitting us in an “undemocraticˮ way. The larger and more strategically positioned an organization is, the more power it has in negotiations. Why is that the case? Because crises and uncertainty make large organizations look more attractive – and thus more…
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When the whole country went into lockdown, a family father set out to meet his client, whom he had been servicing successfully for 5 years. Armed with a negative Covid test result and a glimmer of hope, he drove the 1,200 km route across the border into the neighboring country. His companions were major worries…
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‘This morning, the decision was finally made: The two units will merge. This means only one of 2 units will continue to operate, some employees will lose their jobs and … we will all have to apply for the jobs that remain.’ Does that sound familiar? It does to me; I have heard this kind…
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