I like to cook, and I was feeling pretty good about my skills . . . until my team cooked alongside professional chefs. It seemed easy, until the chefs started checking in on us. Like any professional skill, experience changes everything......

Recently, I had lunch with a friend who’s a senior executive. We talked about how to be flexible in a negotiation. “My friend suddenly asked, 'Is being flexible a good thing? In my organization, giving in to the other side’s demands is viewed as a sign of weakness.” .....

Looking back, 2025 was a turbulent year for many negotiators. For many businesses, that uncertainty led to delayed decisions, postponed investments, and a more risk-averse posture. However, the challenges of 2025 could very well create meaningful opportunities in 2026. .....

When people imagine a competitive negotiation, they often envision a high-stakes standoff: two sides digging in, doing whatever they can to win. The idea of a win-win outcome seems unrealistic. If everyone is playing hardball, isn’t someone destined to lose? Not necessarily......