The Deal Whisperers

Sometimes a client is not making a request, they are posing a test. We were pursuing a $30 million systems integration deal with a lo...

Some people don’t recognize gold when they see it. Not gold in the sense of the precious metal. I mean something rare that others gre...

I am never surprised to find a business executive who is a terrible negotiator. I am, however, surprised when a business person admits th...

Years ago, there was an interview with a NASA astronaut in which he was asked, “What would you do if you were in danger of destruction...

A young colleague and I were in a ride-share, heading into New York, and we began discussing the deal we were working on. Tyler was a...

There is an old joke that asks: Why did they name the game “golf”? Because all of the other four letter words were taken. If you ...

I once negotiated for two weeks on the word “capital.” Not because people were being difficult. It’s because we were not explaining ourse...

I began my professional career as newspaper reporter, so I have always seen words as powerful tools of influence. The adage, “The pen...

There are several ways to join two pieces of wood together. A hammer and a nail is one way. A screw and a screwdriver is another. Yo...

I was in Times Square last week and, while walking down 42 nd Street, I passed a young man hawking discount tickets to one of the area’s...

“We’re glad you’re here. We need a tough negotiator.” I have heard that opening line a few times in my career and, frankly, I don’t k...

This weekend the men’s NCAA basketball championships semi-finals will feature an improbably entry, much to the delight of millions of fan...

I can’t remember the first time I heard someone say it, but I have heard it dozens of times since then: a bad deal is like a bad marriag...

One of the advantages of owning an Italian restaurant is that just about everyone who comes in wants Italian food. It would be an odd thin...

Yes, it’s that time of year when boys and girls all over the world anxiously await the arrival of that special person in the suit who will...

I’ll never forget the Thanksgiving week when I almost saved $9 million. It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, 15 years ago, and I wa...

I can’t find a book on how to blink. I went on Amazon and found a book called, “Blink.” It has nothing to do with blinking. Malcolm Gl...

I remember the first time I got a phone call from a salesperson asking to speak with “the lady of the house.” (Remember those days? When y...

One of the most important attributes a person needs to be successful in business is the ability to make a decision. One of the most im...

Derek Jeter can’t say no. At least, not the right way. During the ceremony at Yankee Stadium to retire his jersey number (2), Jeter’s ...