Negotiation by Design 

At Negotiation by Design, we empower individuals and organizations to master the art of negotiation, boosting confidence and securing the upper hand. Did you know that a staggering 80% of negotiators settle for less-than-optimal deals, all while a whopping 90% are convinced they've achieved a favorable outcome? 🤝

Our mission is crystal clear: to unlock your untapped negotiation potential and maximize value capture.

For corporations, we provide a competitive edge by:

1️⃣ Cultivating institutional negotiation capacity.
2️⃣ Increasing value capture and forging robust strategic alliances.
3️⃣ Elevating negotiation into a genuine competitive advantage.

We firmly believe that enhancing negotiation skills contributes to a better world. Our approach seamlessly merges your existing institutional knowledge with our cutting-edge expertise, resulting in a dynamic synergy of ideas and innovation. 🌟

CEO & Co-Founder

McGill University

Complex Negotiation Programs:
-  MBA
-  PMBA
-  BCom
-  EMBA McGill-HEC
-  Japan MBA
-  Executive Custom Programs

Professor

Universidad de los Andes

I teach complex negotiation to EMBA's and in several Executive Education Programs offered by the School of Management.

Aluna Catalyst

Aluna Catalyst is a boutique-consulting firm dedicated to creating value and driving positive change through strategy, innovation, negotiation and sustainability. We partner with visionary business leaders and forward-thinking companies to help them reach the next level. Some of our clients include: Keurig, EY, Air Canada, Berry Global, Alpina, Carvajal and the United Nations.

Founder and Chief Catalyst

Kellogg Innovation Network

Kellogg Innovation Network at Northwestern University is a center dedicated to fostering prosperity through innovation. The KIN is a platform for cross-sector collaboration, convening delegates from academia, business and government to create public/private partnerships fostering sustainable development.

Member of the Advisory Board

Tandem Insourcing

Consulting Boutique specializing in Negotiation, Strategy and Innovation. 

We advised the Colombian Government during the negotiation of the FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with the United States and negotiations with communities and stakeholders on environmental issues and infrastructure projects: Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Transportation. 

We consulted  for major Colombian and International corporations on labor negotiations, procurement negotiations, and sales negotiations: Bayer, Citibank, Air Canada, Bell Canada, ExonMobil, Liberty Insurance, Alpina and Tecnoquímicas. We developed strategies and innovation portfolios for family business and corporations: Berry Global, Mansarovar, Quala, Concentrados, Intertug and Davivienda.

CEO and Founder

Teachers College, Columbia University

Conflict Resolution Program for the United Nations (New York, Chile, Mexico, Lebanon, Denmark, Netherlands (The Hague), Switzerland, Colombia, and Austria.

Instructor

Producciones RTI

Lobbied and negotiated the government policy:
    -  To privatize Television.
    -  To establish Mobile Telephony in Colombia.

Chief of Staff to the CEO

Negotiation | Consultant & Professor with 30+ years of global experience | Negotiation by Design | Negotiation Institutional Capacity Building | #NegotiationByDesign | Dutiful Advocate to my Clients |

Need to strengthen your negotiation strategy and drive more profitable deals?

As a global negotiation consultant and professor, I help organizations build an Institutional Negotiation Capacity—transforming negotiation into a strategic advantage.

I’ve spent three decades honing my craft—originally sparked by a chance encounter in a negotiation workshop led by Roger Fisher. 

That serendipitous moment ignited my passion for negotiation, and since then I’ve guided executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders at world-renowned institutions like the Kellogg School of Management, McGill University, and Columbia University’s ICCCR.

At Negotiation by Design®, we go beyond surface-level tactics. We embed negotiation into your organizational DNA, cultivating a shared language, continuous learning, and long-term strategic advantage. 

Fluent in Spanish, English, and French, and backed by degrees from Columbia University, DePauw University, and an EMBA from Kellogg, I bring a nuanced global perspective to every client engagement.

My personal life—parenting Mateo and Anabel, exploring trails on my mountain bike, and cooking up a storm—has taught me that the best lessons often arise from unexpected moments. These experiences remind me that true negotiation mastery combines skill, humility, and a human touch.

Together, let’s transform how your organization negotiates—unlocking better deals, stronger relationships, and sustainable results.

Ready to unlock your team’s full potential? 

Click “Connect” or “Message” me now, and let’s explore how I can support you.

Or book a meeting at  https://calendly.com/negotiationbydesign

30 minutes late: Riyadh smiles, Amsterdam frowns. 
Grab my napkin guide to culture in negotiation  

If you read this post, you’ll leave with a field-tested checklist for turning cross-cultural hiccups into high-trust, high-value deals.

I’ve trained 10,000+ executives on five continents.

However, this week HungerStation’s rising leaders (and my treacherous alarm clock) reminded me that culture trumps even the slickest slide deck.

The scene:

Day 1 of the Workshop felt familiar: 
↳ coffee chats, overlapping conversations, and schedule elasticity. 

Classic polychronic culture in Colombia and Saudi Arabia.

Day 2: phone dead, 30-minute tardy entrance. 

In Amsterdam? Career suicide. 

In Riyadh? Warm smiles, hot tea, and "Pablo, did you have breakfast?"

Here's Culture explained on a napkin:

🕔 Monochronic (Anglo-Saxons, Northern Europeans, Scandinavians) 

vs. 

🥳 Polychronic (Asia, LATAM, Middle East, Africa, and Southern Europeans)

𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀: 

↳ Monochronic: Start exactly on time, one agenda item at a time → signals efficiency, but leaves little space for informal bonding. 

↳ Polychronic: Flexible starts, parallel conversations → rapport first, bargaining second. 

𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀:

↳ Monochronic: Punctuality, productivity, reliability → drives quick, tightly-scoped deals. 

↳ Polychronic: Warmth, generosity, loyalty → once you’re “inside,” concessions flow faster. 

𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀:

↳ Monochronic: Time is money: delay equals disrespect → push for closure. 

↳ Polychronic: Time is abundant; trust is scarce: rush the process and lose the deal. 

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀:

↳ Monochronic: Few interruptions, flat meeting hierarchy → follow the clock and the agenda. 

↳ Polychronic: Interruptions accepted, deference to elders & prayer times → align rhythm with relationships, not minutes.


Invest as much time decoding people as polishing numbers. 

Ignoring cultural cues and even flawless logic sounds tone-deaf.

What’s your go-to move for reading a room before you talk terms? Share below so we can all level up.

Feel this could spare someone an apology tour? Hit repost and pass it on ♻️

Pablo Restrepo

Negotiation isn’t kindness. It’s a calculated value exchange.
Unlabeled concessions aren’t generous, they’re strategic failures.

If you don’t 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭 your concessions, 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 reciprocity, and 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭 your generosity wisely, you’re not negotiating...

... you’re giving stuff away.

During our Smart Negotiator's training in Riyadh, I had the privilege to work with a second group of leaders of HungerStation | هنقرستيشن. 

Once again, they reminded me that excellent training mainly results from having great participants.  
 
One of the topics that was more relevant to them was that negotiation is about value creation.  
 
Using your bargaining chips wisely is a big part of a successful outcome. 
 
The hard truth is that even brilliant people make unreciprocated concessions. 

They drop value without extracting anything in return, not even trust.

Top negotiators don’t just concede. 

They turn every concession into currency.

Here are four field-tested ways to make sure your concessions don’t vanish into a black hole:

1️⃣ Label your concessions
↳ If they don’t know what it costs you, they won’t value it.
↳ “This pricing flexibility wasn’t easy, but it reflects our interest in working together long term.”
	

2️⃣ Demand and define reciprocity
↳ Don’t cross your fingers. Say what you need in return.
↳ “We moved on cost. Now we need flexibility on the timeline.”


3️⃣ Use contingent concessions
↳ When trust is low, say it with conditions.
↳ “We can do X — if you commit to Y.”


4️⃣ Make concessions in installments
↳ Two $20K moves feel more generous — and strategic — than one $40K drop.
↳ Behavioral economics backs it. So does every deal I’ve helped rescue.


Concessions aren’t acts of kindness.

They’re moves on the chessboard. Play them like a grandmaster.

What’s one concession you made that still stings?

Drop it below — and let’s turn it into a playbook lesson.

Know someone who gives too much away in negotiation? 
♻️ Repost this to save them from themselves. 🙃

Your negotiation metrics are outdated and costing you dearly.
Forget spreadsheets; success goes beyond numbers.

Here you’ll have seven powerful metrics, recommended by 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗱’𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗣𝗢𝗡), to redefine success in your negotiations. 

This will boost your profits, partnerships, and strategic impact.

After advising executives from global companies like ABB and transforming negotiation strategies for over 30 years, I’ve seen how outdated metrics silently erode value.

Most companies measure negotiation outcomes with overly simplistic financial indicators:

• Higher rates
• Bigger contracts
• Short-term gains

But here’s the costly truth: 
↳ This narrow focus risks long-term profitability, reputational damage, and missed strategic opportunities.

Harvard’s Program on Negotiation (PON) recommends evaluating negotiations with these seven powerful metrics:


1️⃣ Relationship (separate people from the problem): 

↳ Does your negotiation build relationships by clearly separating interpersonal issues from substantive problems?


2️⃣ Communication (Listen actively and empathize): 

↳ Are discussions focused on understanding the other side’s perspective, actively listening, and demonstrating empathy to solve issues constructively?


3️⃣ Interests (Identify shared and divergent interests): 

↳ Does the negotiated outcome effectively address your core interests, your counterpart’s key interests, and relevant stakeholders’ interests?


4️⃣ Options (Create value through joint gains): 

↳ Have you jointly brainstormed multiple creative solutions aimed at maximizing mutual gains and expanding the negotiation pie?
	

5️⃣ Legitimacy (Use objective criteria): 

↳ Is the agreed solution backed by objective criteria, standards, or precedents, ensuring fairness and acceptability for all parties involved?


6️⃣ BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement): 

↳ Is your negotiated agreement demonstrably superior to your best alternative if the negotiation fails?


7️⃣ Commitment (Clear and realistic implementation): 

↳ Are the negotiated commitments detailed, clear, realistic, and actionable, ensuring both parties understand their roles and responsibilities?


Companies embracing these comprehensive metrics don’t just close deals; they build enduring competitive advantages.

Redefine your negotiation success metrics now. 

Use these seven dimensions to evaluate your next negotiation. 

Your future bottom line will thank you.

What’s your favorite metric for measuring negotiation success? Share in the comments.

♻️ Found value here? Please repost. Let’s raise negotiation standards together.

My 19-year-old son turned negotiation into a serious art.
If you can win over a brilliant, stubborn teenager (hi Mateo), you can win anywhere.

Master emotions, or watch every deal implode.

Here’s how:

After 20 years coaching CEOs, governments, and raising a future filmmaker who cross-examines me daily, one truth stands:

Emotions -not spreadsheets- close or blow deals.

5 tactics I use before talking with Mateo (and CFOs)

1️⃣ Audit emotions (avoid ambushes)
Rate potential triggers (1–5) for both sides.
Five minutes that save hours of regret.

2️⃣ Breathe 60 seconds (regain control)
Reset cortisol.
Shift from attack to dialogue.

3️⃣ Empathy questions (surface hidden fears)
"What worries you most?"
Reframes from conflict to collaboration.

4️⃣ Tension meter (break, before it breaks you)
If tension hits 7/10, pause.
Coffee break = deals saved.

5️⃣ Label & loop (neutralise volatile emotion)
"Sounds like you’re frustrated because you feel unheard, right?"
Name it. Confirm it. Defuse it.

Real-life proof:
Mateo wanted to film in Ukraine.
I saw danger. 
He saw awards.

Five tactics later: safety rules agreed, budget set, passports stamped.

Bonus move:
Dual-track concessions.
If it doesn’t serve BOTH the relationship and BATNA, re-anchor.

Smart negotiators don’t ignore emotion.
They weaponise it.

Which tactic will you try first?
Comment the number and you’ll get a pro tip back.

If you believe EQ deserves a seat at every negotiating table, repost and help others level up. ♻️

A layover in Istanbul turned into an innovation masterclass:
Ignore customer pain, and innovation boards another flight.

Read on and turn every complaint into your next breakthrough idea. 

30+ years, 40 countries, 650 projects later, one truth keeps cashing cheques: 

The biggest innovations start with the smallest customer pains. 

Last Friday, I boarded a Turkish Airlines redeye from Bogotá to Riyadh. 

I was flying there to deliver two high-stakes negotiation workshops for a major Saudi corporation.

I anticipated exhaustion, jet lag, and the dread of an 8-hour layover in Istanbul. Even the business lounge felt like fancy purgatory. 

Then I met Mauricio, a fellow Colombian. 

“Let’s tour Istanbul,” he said. 

But excitement vanished into stress: immigration queues, security checks, the fear of missing my next flight.

Yet Turkish Airlines had already innovated around exactly this pain. 

They recognized layovers weren’t just idle hours; they were untapped opportunities.

Their fix? 

Free (and worry-free) city tours: lunch overlooking Hagia Sophia, a Bosphorus cruise, and guaranteeing we’d be back in time. 

This wasn’t luck. 

It was innovation meticulously driven by genuine customer pain:

🤕 Pain point: Passengers despised wasted hours.

💡Relevant innovation: Tours that perfectly targeted travelers’ anxieties.

💝 Customer loyalty: They didn’t just solve my problem; they transformed me into an enthusiastic advocate.

📈 Continuous improvement: Regular refinement based on real passenger experiences.

Turn your customer complaints into your innovation lab. 

Don’t just fix problems, transform them into delight.

That’s my recent innovation insight from my flight to Saudi Arabia. What customer frustration has sparked innovation in your business? Share your story below!

♻️ If you found inspiration here, please hit repost to help others uncover their next big idea!

From humiliation to leverage:

Zelensky’s 58-day negotiating hack

Most negotiators don’t fail from lack of experience; they fail because they never learn from it.

Enters the "Learning Loop": Log → Audit → Experiment → Repeat. 

Where you see gains instead of regrets

Leigh Thompson’s 𝘒𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘨 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 data show that execs who debrief with both an ally and a skeptic improve measurable negotiation outcomes by up to 10% per cycle.

The Learning Loop has been key to helping my clients improve their negotiation performance and has sharpened my skills...

... it’s even helped me hold my ground in negotiations with my teenagers (no small feat).

Here’s the blueprint Zelensky ran (and most leaders skip):

𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟭 – Raw Experience

28 Feb 2025, Oval Office

• Zelensky: war attire, fuzzy agenda
• Trump: ego rocketed through the roof
• Result: public scolding, zero new aid


𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟮 – Brutal Feedback

48-hour hot-wash with aides, EU partners, and hostile press

Findings:

• You spiked Trump’s ego
• Wardrobe read as “needy”
• No written “what’s-in-it-for-him”
• Asymmetric power venue: The Oval Office

Zelensky learned…

• Ego management is a controllable variable
• Clothing frames status
• A concrete value-for-value sheet is non-negotiable
• Venue matters


𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟯 – New Playbook

Tool kit:

• Open with legacy flattery
• Center Putin as a shared enemy
• One-pager: minerals-for-aid swap
• Neutral, solemn venue: Vatican funeral


𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟰 – Rematch in St Peter’s Basilica

26 Apr 2025, Rome

• Tone: cordial
• Trump to media: “Productive chat; pressure on Putin on the table”

Evidence of improvement: tone flip + tangible progress


Why most negotiators stay on version 1.0, and the patch you need:

🚫 Skip the Autopsy 
✅ Run a 24-hour Deal Autopsy
Write goal/moves/outcome/emotion while they're still raw

🚫 Echo-Chamber Feedback 
✅ Invite the Contrarian
One ally AND one skeptic must rip your playbook apart

🚫 Skill Freeze 
✅ Pilot One Micro-Tweak
Test a single new tactic next round: tempo, silence, empathy, whatever

🚫 “Busy” Excuse
✅ Block 45 min per deal
15 min log ▸ 15 min feedback ▸ 15 min tweak design. Non-negotiable

Loop it: Log → Audit → Experiment → Repeat

Run the loop, or keep rerunning your old mistakes

♻️ Tag the colleague still bragging about “years of experience” while recycling version 1.0 tactics

Most negotiators bargain in 1D. 

Master negotiators dominate in 3D.

Most people negotiate in 1D, maybe 2D on a good day.

But top performers work in 3D:
↳ At the table, 
↳ behind the scenes, 
↳ and inside the deal itself.

Here’s how to work all three dimensions and win smarter.

1️⃣ Tactical – Nail the conversation:

What happens at the table needs intent and precision.

✔️ Start with trust: be clear, deliver quick wins
✔️ Ask smart questions: then shut up and listen
✔️ Manage emotion: acknowledge it, reframe it
✔️ Anchor with credibility, not arrogance
✔️ Work as a team: align roles before speaking

💡 Tactical tip: Practice with someone who pushes back hard. it builds calm under fire.


2️⃣ Value-design – Grow the pie:

Design deals that serve both sides better.

✔️ Think beyond price: time, risk, and reputation matter too
✔️ Offer multiple choices (MESOs): let their reaction show priorities
✔️ Trade smart: give low-cost, high-value issues
✔️ Use contingencies: bet on the future
✔️ Revisit the deal: ask, "Can we do even better?"

💡Value tip: bundle non-monetary sweeteners like speed, exclusivity, and learning.


3️⃣ Strategic – Shape the game:

Real pros work the map before the meeting.

✔️ Identify players: allies, blockers, influencers
✔️ Sequence smartly: start where you’re strongest
✔️ Control the process: choose who, where, and how
✔️ Boost your BATNA: strength = alternatives
✔️ Create urgency: deadlines change behavior

💡Strategic tip: build micro-campaigns for each stakeholder.


Don’t just negotiate the deal. Design it. Shape it.

It’s not just a conversation, it’s a chessboard.

Know someone negotiating with one wheel flat? Repost to help them ride smoother. ♻️

What’s one deal you could’ve won in 3D?

First offers forge your negotiation fate

Anchor wrong and sink the whole deal

Learn when to speak first, when to stay silent, and how to drop anchors that reel profit toward you.

After 30+ years steering billion-dollar talks, I’ve seen anchors snap lines. Harvard PON shows that first offers shift outcomes up to 35%.

Anchors stick because our brains hate drifting ⚓

They grab the first number and build the castle of value on that shaky foundation. 

Preparation is your demolition crew.

📌 Tip: Before any talk, write down your ideal, your walk-away, and three outside prices. 

Kahneman & Tversky proved it: a roulette spin still warps judgment. 

Seeing hard data de-glues you from random numbers.

When the other side knows the price map better (think HR hiring locals, you visiting Mars), let them speak first. 

Their offer draws boundaries you can explore.

📌 Tip: Respond with a curious “Tell me how you calculated that” instead of a counter. 

Silence is cheaper -and often richer- than guessing.

But if you hold the secrets (say you’re selling Colombian coffee to a first-time Japanese buyer), drop a bold yet defensible anchor.

📌 Tip: Aim just inside optimistic yet realistic; 10–15% beyond what you expect to settle often skews the dance your way, without killing trust. 

Your number becomes the reference song stuck in their head; make it catchy.

Different cultures pirate anchors differently. 

In Mexico, an ambitious first offer can be applauded as "ganas," but it may feel rude in Japan.

📌 Tip: Gauge the cultural tolerance (ask colleagues, spot past deals), then adjust the size, not the science, of your anchor. 

Cross-cultural misreads waste time and goodwill faster than discounts.

Control the first number and you frame every conversation; anchors steer profits home or drag them overboard.

What cues tell you to drop the anchor or wait? Share your go-to signal below.

🔖 Save this before the next negotiator asks, "What’s your number?"

♻️ Share if anchoring ever saved or sank your deal.

Brilliant minds fall for this negotiation ploy

Good cop, bad cop isn’t a strategy. It’s a scam

By the end of this post, you’ll know how to spot, disarm, and shut down one of the most manipulative and surprisingly effective negotiation tactics still in play today.

I’ve seen this ploy rattle CEOs, seasoned diplomats, and tough-as-nails founders.

One client in a multimillion-dollar exit deal nearly folded. 

Applying what I learned from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation (PON), we simply named the game and dismantled the drama.

This isn’t about IQ.

It’s about knowing the playbook before someone casts you in their script:

You walk into a negotiation prepared.

Suddenly, you’re in 𝘓𝘢𝘸 & 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳.

One person threatens. The other offers “reason.”

You feel relief.

You concede.

You lose.

It’s not a deal. It’s a setup.



What makes it so seductively effective?

It hijacks your brain under pressure:

Contrast bias: 
↳ Kindness feels golden after cruelty.

Fear anchoring: 
↳ Outrageous offers reframe expectations.
 
Reciprocity bias: 
↳ False empathy triggers real compliance.

It’s not negotiation. It’s manipulation in a suit.

Why it works (even on smart people)?

When the bad cop goes first, your rational brain shuts down.

The hero arrives, and suddenly, you’re not negotiating. You’re escaping discomfort.

And you’ll pay for the relief.

The variants: not all cops wear uniforms👇🏼

👮‍♂️ Classic duo – the brute and the diplomat.

🎭 Conflict theater – fake fight, fake compromise.

🌀 Split personality – one person swings between moods.

👻 Phantom boss – “Take this now, or my boss will destroy it.”

Different costumes, same scam: destabilize, confuse, close fast.

The real problem: it’s not just dishonest. It’s dumb.

You might win today. But you lose:
❌ Trust
❌ Reputation
❌ Your next negotiation

However, smart negotiators play the long game.

How to defuse this tactic:
	
✅ Call out the dynamic, gently:
“Feels like we’re approaching this from different angles. Can we reset?”

✅ Re-anchor on shared value:
“Let’s get back to building something sustainable.”

✅ Break the emotional rhythm:
Pause. Breathe. Let the pressure pass.

Great negotiation doesn’t need a plot twist.
It needs clarity. 

When someone performs, don’t applaud. Realign.

Ever been cast in this play? Share the worst good cop, bad cop you’ve faced.

♻️ Share it. Someone else is getting played right now.

Pablo Restrepo-Sáenz

I was unexpectedly invited to a negotiation workshop given by Roger Fisher, one of the pioneers in the field of negotiation. After ten years as an entrepreneur chasing business for the wrong reasons, it became clear: this was the profession I wanted.
 
Negotiation is not just a career; it's a way of life that brings confidence, clarity, and fulfillment. I'm committed to helping others discover its transformative power and to unlock their full potential in all areas of life.
 
For 30+ years, I’ve served as a global consultant and professor in negotiation in the private and public sectors.

My practice has brought me to work alongside hundreds of corporations and organizations on nearly every continent. For the past two decades, I have been invited to teach and facilitate at universities worldwide, including Kellogg School of Management, Universidad de Los Andes, HEC, McGill University, and the University of Glasgow.

I have also worked for the ICCCR (International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution) at Columbia University as an instructor for their United Nations program. I was a member of the Advisory Board of Kellogg University’s Innovation Network until 2017.

I have a BS from Columbia University, a BA from DePauw University, and an EMBA from Kellogg School of Management. I am fluent in Spanish, English, and French. 

All this to say, my passion for this subject has driven my expertise and allowed me to pursue a career that gives me pure joy every day.

At Negotiation by Design®, we help organizations to be empowered to communicate more effectively, advocate for their interests and priorities, and to find common ground in even the most challenging negotiations.
 
Our primary focus is on developing an Enterprise Digital Negotiation Solution. This is a comprehensive solution designed to support the organization's negotiation processes. It provides a centralized digital platform for managing all negotiations, from contract negotiations with suppliers to salary negotiations with employees. 
 
The solution offers tools and functionalities to streamline and optimize the negotiation process, including document sharing, collaboration, and analytics. 
 
Additionally, these solutions provide a digital record of all negotiation activities, which can be leveraged for future reference, training, onboarding, or analysis. 
 
I'm a proud father of Mateo and Anabel who have taught me more about negotiation than any expert. I'm also a passionate mountain biker, sporting more bruises than a banana, and an amateur chef who can turn any kitchen into a warzone.

Cognitive bias isn’t your enemy in negotiation.
It might just be your secret weapon.

Learn how to ethically use four cognitive biases to shape your counterpart’s decisions and close better, smarter deals.

Bias gets a bad rap.

But what if I told you it can be used, not just avoided?

I’ve taught negotiation across 5 continents. Research from Harvard's PON shows these four biases can be tools, not traps, when used strategically.

Here are 4 cognitive biases you can ethically leverage at the table:

1️⃣ Anchoring effect:
  
Set the tone with a bold (but justifiable) first offer.

Most people adjust from your anchor, not to the fair value.
  
📌 Tip: In high-stakes B2B deals, I often prepare two anchors: one for the aggressive bargainer, one for the “let’s be fair” type.

2️⃣ Availability bias:

Your counterpart is influenced by what’s easiest to recall.

Use vivid, relatable examples to shape what they see as normal.

📌 Tip: In a joint venture in Saudi Arabia, I referenced a local case; it instantly changed the frame.

3️⃣ Framing gains:

Want a yes? Show them what they’ll lose by saying no.

Humans hate losing more than they like winning.

📌 Tip: I once reframed “15% savings” as “$1M back in your quarterly report.” That landed.

4️⃣ Contrast effect:

Don’t just give one option, give three (the beauty of MESO's in action)
  
The middle one will often look like gold.

📌 Tip: Presenting payment plans this way helped one client close a deal 10 days earlier.


The smartest negotiators don’t fight bias. 

They frame it, plant it, and use it as leverage.

Which of these four biases have you seen work or backfire in real deals?

🔖 Save this list for your next negotiation prep.

♻️ If this helped you, share it with your team.

Think you’re a good communicator?

Start by listening better.

Most people think listening means staying quiet until it’s their turn to speak.

Others think it’s about handing out advice like candy.

And even the well-meaning ones? 

They often kill the connection without knowing it.

This carousel teaches you one powerful question that can change every conversation:

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗵𝘂𝗴, 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽?

You’ll learn:

✅ Why your urge to fix things silently sabotages real understanding

✅ How the “3-option menu” can unlock trust and clarity

✅ The right sequence to make your advice feel like a gift, not a judgment

Ready to stop fixing and start asking?

Swipe through — and upgrade the way you listen, for good.

👇 Then tell me in the comments:
Are you a chronic fixer, a patient listener, or an unofficial therapist?

Know someone who means well but always jumps to advice?

♻️ Tag them or repost, they’ll thank you later.

Hug, Hear or Help?

Avoiding “the devil” in your negotiations?

It might be costing you a lot!

We all know that counterpart:
↳ Manipulative. Aggressive. Slippery.
↳ The one that drains your energy and triggers your worst instincts.

Instinct says: walk away.

But strategy? 

Strategy says: engage, intelligently.

In this carousel, you’ll learn:

✅ Why avoiding toxic players often backfires
✅ How to spot the traps, and regain control
✅ A 4-step playbook to negotiate with people you don’t like or trust

This isn’t about making peace.

It’s about making progress, on your terms.

Ever faced a “devil” at the table?
Tell me how you handled it 👇 

♻️ And if this changed how you think about devilish counterparts, repost it.

Would You Negotiate With the Devil?

What style of negotiator are you?

Is that helping, or hurting, you?

You’ll learn your natural negotiation style and how to use it wisely.

(At the end, you will have access to a self-assessment tool.)

We all have a go-to negotiation style.

It’s how we usually act when things get tense.

But here’s the catch:

The style that works great in one deal might fail badly in the next.

There are 4 common styles, according to Harvard’s Program on Negotiation (PON):

1️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: “I win. That’s all that matters.”
(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘑𝘦𝘧𝘧 𝘉𝘦𝘻𝘰𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴)

• Strength: Claims value aggressively, sets strong anchors, and knows when to walk away.

• Risk: Focuses on short-term wins, damages relationships, and leaves long-term value behind.

• Best used when: You have a strong BATNA and don’t need a future relationship.


2️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: “Let’s both walk away happy.”
(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘺𝘢 𝘕𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘈𝘐)

• Strength: Builds trust, integrates interests, and finds creative, win-win solutions.

• Risk: Over-trusts and gets outmaneuvered by more aggressive negotiators.

• Best used when: Trust is possible and the other side wants a long-term win too.


3️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: “I want to win big.”
(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯: 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴)

• Strength: Sets high goals, pushes relentlessly, and dominates negotiations.

• Risk: Sparks conflict, misses creative trades, and burns bridges.

• Best used when: You need to push for maximum value in a one-off deal.


4️⃣ 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝘁: “You win. That’s enough for me.”
(𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘠𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩)

• Strength: Acts generously, values relationships, and builds deep loyalty.

• Risk: Gives too much, lacks boundaries, and risks being exploited.

• Best used when: The relationship matters more than the deal, and trust is mutual.


Each style has its strengths, but none of them work every time.

The key is knowing your default and learning to adapt to each situation.

Because your negotiation style is a tool, not a trap.

♻️ If this helped you, share it with someone who negotiates a lot.

❓Want the Negotiation Style Questionnaire to know yours?

Comment “Style” and I’ll send it to you directly. The tool includes tips on how to adapt your style to different negotiation scenarios.

Taplio

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