Mike Figliuolo's Blog, page 15

6 Negotiation Techniques to Add to Your Playbook

Your negotiation strategy can make or break a deal. Learning negotiation tactics is key to becoming a more strategic negotiator.

Over the years, I’ve learned some great negotiating techniques and tactics. I’d like to share them now.

The Invisible Man

The first is called The Invisible Man. You can use this technique when you’re in the heat of a deal and you don’t want to give an answer right now, or you don’t like the position that the other party is taking.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

I view turnover on my team as:

Our reader poll today asks: I view turnover on my team as:

An indication that something is wrong 21.83%A natural dynamic — it’s the circle of life 50.17%A healthy event that brings in new ideas 21.82%I don’t experience turnover 6.18%

Turnover is natural and healthy. 

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Focusing on the Biggest Risks

It doesn’t make sense to try to manage every possible risk. Learn how to identify and focus on the most dangerous risks you face.

Today’s guest post is b y Kim Wasson, a principal at thoughtLEADERS where she teaches our course on Risk Management.

If you’ve completed your risk brainstorming session you might have an extensive list of risks. It doesn’t make sense to try to manage every possible risk, especially the ones that are small or unlikely, so it’s important to figure out which ones are the most dangerous and focus on those.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

The Power of Transformation in Storytelling: Capturing the Journey

Depicting change—from projects evolving to shifts in perspective—adds depth and relatability to thought leadership content. 

Today’s post is by Rhea Wessel, author of Write Like a Thought Leader.

In thought leadership, storytelling is not just a tool—it’s a fundamental element that breathes life into ideas and concepts.

One of the most compelling aspects of storytelling is the depiction of transformation.

Whether it’s a project that evolves from inception to completion, or a shift in perspective brought on by a pivotal experience, transformation lies at the heart of engaging and impactful stories.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

How well do you manage stakeholders across your organization?

Our reader poll today asks: How well do you manage stakeholders across your organization?

Very well: I communicate very effectively with them and build strong relationships 28.69%Well: I communicate with them frequently and have decent relationships 54.10%Not well: I struggle to communicate with them and have weak relationships 10.66%Poorly: I barely know who my key stakeholders are 6.55%

Stakeholders get things done.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Choosing a Decision-Making Style

Learn the four decision-making styles and the factors that influence which style will be best for your situation.

When you make decisions, there are four decision-making styles that you can use. There’s an autocratic style, a participatory one, a democratic style, and a consensus-based decision-making style. Your choice of which of those four styles to use is driven by two factors.

The first factor is the urgency of making the decision.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

The Reach – Why Smart Executives Make Stupid Choices

Today’s guest post is by Brian Gast, author of The Business of Wanting More: Why Some Executives Move from Success to Fulfillment and Others Don’t.

My account value was 20% of what it was just a week earlier. All I wanted was a little extra passive income and now look at the mess I’m in. Okay, I’ll admit it. I wanted the 20% annual return they had promised me.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

How often do you make significant investments in your own professional development?

Our reader poll today asks: How often do you make significant investments in your own professional development?

At least once a month 29.39%Once per quarter 16.12%A couple of times a year 27.96%Once a year 11.84%Almost never 14.69%

Making time for yourself. 

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

Overcoming Obstacles to Creating a High-Performing Culture

Learn about four of the most common obstacles to creating a high-performance culture and how to overcome them.

You’ll face many common obstacles on your path to building a high-performance culture. Legacy culture issues, associates who resist the new culture, and processes or behaviors that don’t yet exist are going to slow you down. You need to work through these counter-culture moments and issues if you’re looking to change the overall culture of the organization. 

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.

8 Elements that Differentiate Your Business and Make it Stand Out

Differentiating your business and making it stand out isn’t about cosmetic external attributes. It’s about sharing the internal elements that make your business different.

Today’s post is from Winnie Brignac Hart, co-author of Stand Out.

Today, we’re bombarded with marketing messages from every side – the New York Times estimates over 5,000 messages every day. Marketers used to try to reach consumers at home watching TV or reading newspapers and magazines, but now advertisers reach consumers in real time, trying to catch their attention at every turn.

Read the rest of this post at thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World.