Author: briangunia

  • Rules versus negotiations

    We all know that “rules are meant to be broken.” But what does that mean? And is it more than a meaningless cliché? By considering the meaning of the phrase, I think you’ll see that it can actually make life more negotiable. To start, consider what rules actually do: Fundamentally, they regulate everyone’s behavior. Consider…

  • Bluffs versus lies: The line between persuasion and deception in negotiation

    Where’s the line between bluffing and lying, persuasion and deception, salesmanship and unethical behavior? Negotiation scholars (myself included) have not often answered that question, largely because we focus on what negotiators do instead of what they should do. So far be it from me to answer conclusively here. Nevertheless, a recent experience got me thinking…

  • Assurances from an adult: A stopgap strategy for negotiating with kids

    I’ve written often about the importance of trust in negotiations. Unfortunately, little children don’t always display an abundance of it—for example, when a sibling or friend wants to play with their preferred toy. To make the lack of trust negotiable, we need something more. Luckily, there’s a device that can help at least on occasion:…