And now for something everyone hates.

Criticism.

It’s just plain no fun when someone tells you they think you did a crappy job on something.

Criticism that isn’t invited or sought out can feel invasive and undeserved, or like someone just discovered your dirty secret.  It can leave you feeling off kilter and exposed.

And while criticism can be helpful and give you a perspective on something that turns out to … Read More

Strategery

Explaining the more difficult aspects of negotiation strategy is difficult and often boring.  But Victoria Pynchon over at Settle it Now manages to consistently make it accessible and entertaining.

Go check out her recent post on negotiations where she discusses what to do if you’re starting from a position of little to no power.  The strategy is called 3D negotiation and involves systematically changing the … Read More

A word about the name

Of the blog, that is.

When I bandied around the name as a possible title I had a bunch of people tell me I was using the wrong term.  “It’s a ‘Work for Hire’; that’s what freelancers call it.”

But I’m stubborn and I insisted on including the word “made.”

The reason?

“Work Made for Hire” is a very persnickety legal term.  It means something … Read More

I am awesome!

It is true.  I am.

And, like most people, sometimes I have a hard time embracing that thought.

That’s a perfectly fine neurosis when I’m walking the dog or doing the dishes, but if I’m sitting around thinking, “I’m OK-ish,” when I’m negotiating, that’s a problem.… Read More

I agree.

It should come as a shock to no one that I am a big fan of agreements in writing.  You might think it’s the lawyer in me that likes agreements written out and explained.  It is not.  It is the lazy person in me.… Read More

Hot, live mentoring action!

I’m a big believer in finding mentors that work in your field and studying what they do.  You can read theory until your head explodes, but if you don’t see how something is done, and that it can be done, the lesson is less likely to stick.  Even worse, you’re less likely to use the lesson well.

Hands down one of the best people I’ve … Read More

a good review

I gave a training on negotiation a few weeks ago and in preparation found myself flipping through Getting to “Yes!” again.  Written by Roger Fisher and my sometimes negotiation boyfriend William Ury, Getting to “Yes!” was originally published in 1981.  It remains one of the very best books you can read about interest based negotiation, and if you haven’t read it, set aside an … Read More

Just Ask

Have I had a week, let me tell you.  I joined the lovely Ms. Meconis at MoCCA last week.  We managed to make a time of it and stuff as much as we possibly could into five days in NYC.  There was silly theatre, engaging art and enlivening cab rides in abundance!

In between chatting with folks at the fest, I wrote a few new … Read More