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Negotiation skills for life: how to succeed when it matters most
Matthias Schranner - TEDx Talks
Matthias Schranner draws on high-stakes negotiation experience to discuss handling difficult negotiations. A starting point for reflecting on preparation, pressure and keeping a tense conversation moving towards a workable outcome.
Key takeaways
- Notice when pressure is pushing a negotiation towards unnecessary escalation.
- Consider how you can keep a difficult discussion open rather than get stuck in opposition.
- Use the talk as a prompt to prepare for a specific negotiation, not a guarantee of success.
Reflect on it
- Which upcoming conversation needs more preparation?
- What would a workable outcome look like, and where could I be flexible?
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Matthias Schranner brings high-stakes negotiation experience to this TEDxZurich talk about succeeding when a conversation matters. It is a useful starting point for reflecting on how you respond when agreement feels difficult.
Why watch it?
Workplace negotiations are not limited to contracts. They can involve competing deadlines, resources, role expectations or how a team shares work. Pressure can make it tempting to dig in, react quickly or treat the other person as an obstacle.
Applying it at work
Choose one real negotiation to prepare for. Write down the outcome you need, what you can be flexible about and what you still need to understand. Consider which words or behaviours might escalate the discussion unnecessarily.
After watching, identify one idea you want to test in that conversation. Review what happened afterwards rather than assuming that a technique will work in every setting.
Boundaries still matter
Negotiation is not a substitute for a formal process where safety, discrimination or contractual rights are involved. Seek appropriate advice when the issue calls for it.
Read alongside the talk
Explore managing workplace conflict and effective conflict resolution.
Turn it into CPD
Watch the talk, note your preparation and record the learning in your free Passport.
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Sign in to save what you've read - we'll create a free CPD log for you.