President Jeff Weiss recently kicked off a series of four lectures hosted by Sherrill Library, sharing his expertise in the realm of negotiation strategy. His lecture, titled “Seven Elements of Negotiating for Impact and Implementation,” provided the capacity crowd with an insider’s view of the difficult, widely misunderstood skill of negotiating.
“When we don’t even know we’re negotiating, we’re negotiating, said Weiss, author of the “HBR Guide to Negotiating,” published by the Harvard Business Review. Weiss spoke about how everyone’s first experience with negotiation comes not long after birth, with a baby’s cry to be fed. As one matures, though, negotiating becomes more sophisticated, and aimed at securing advantageous options.
To get there, President Weiss offered some advice to the more than 100 staff and faculty members gathered in a third-floor lecture hall at Sherrill Library. Among the tools necessary for the successful negotiator:
- Building and nurturing active listening skills.
- Refraining from making threats.
- Asking why the other negotiator is seeking a concession — determining what need or problem is behind the other’s bargaining position.
- Offering a “crazy” idea, one that seems unrealistic and certain to be shot down.
“In the criticism, I hear interests,” Weiss said.
In addition, Weiss urged his audience not to negotiate toward compromise, per se, as that “suboptimal result” often fails to address the underlying problem, and can foster resentment and resistance, rather than respect.
The engaging session fostered give-and-take with the audience and left attendees eager for the next session in the series. According to Dean of Libraries Hedi BenAicha, the lectures are designed to bring the Lesley community together regularly to share ideas and scholarship.
The next library lecture is 2 p.m. Dec. 9 in Sherrill 350 and will feature Richard Zauft, Dean of the College of Art and Design, who will discuss “Visual Literacy in the Public Realm.”