Featured Article

How conversational receptiveness might bridge our divide

In the United States and elsewhere, people with very different worldviews on politics seem hopelessly and dangerously divided. A skill called “conversational receptiveness,” which involves using certain language to show you’re willing to thoughtfully engage with opposing views, can help lessen tensions, write researchers Michael Yeomans of Imperial College London, Julia Minson of Harvard Kennedy School, Hanne Collins and Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School, and Frances Chen of the University of British Columbia in a new study published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.
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Why it pays for powerful parties to negotiate

When we’re in a powerful position, we often face a choice between making a unilateral move and negotiating buy-in from key partners. A controversial decision within the film industry illustrates the perils of charging ahead alone.
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Why diversity hiring efforts often fail—and how your organization can do better

Major League Baseball is falling short of its goal of hiring more people of color to leadership roles. Its missteps reflect common negotiation practices that deserve greater scrutiny.
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Negotiation means sometimes having to say you’re sorry

An apology can be an essential means of repairing trust and rebuilding damaged relationships. Yet we don’t always apologize effectively, according to Jeswald Salacuse, a distinguished professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and a faculty member of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. We spoke to Salacuse about how best to show contrition.
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Making the best of pandemic-era deal disruptions

Amid lockdowns and prolonged uncertainty, negotiators are adapting surprisingly well.
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What to expect from Joe Biden, Negotiator-in-Chief

The new president’s past crisis negotiations with Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell hint at how he might navigate our current perils.
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Spreading negotiation knowledge for a better world

For 19 years, the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School has grown and thrived under the leadership of Managing Director Susan Hackley. As PON’s chief administrative and financial officer, Hackley has overseen all activities, including academic events, executive education, interdisciplinary programs, and publications, including Negotiation Briefings. Hackley, who has taught negotiation seminars around the world, is widely admired for her ability to create new programming, build consensus, and collaborate to spread the word about negotiation best practices and new research findings. On the eve of her retirement, we asked Hackley to reflect on the negotiation skills she draws on to advance PON’s mission.
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Lessons learned from a great negotiation leader

Members of the Program on Negotiation reflect on the negotiation skills they’ve absorbed from PON managing director Susan Hackley on the eve of her retirement.
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Negotiating fruitful partnerships at warp speed

In their race to develop effective Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, pharmaceutical companies are hammering out complex partnerships in days and weeks rather than months and years. Their stories offer advice for setting up lasting relationships when time is of the essence.
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The surprising benefits of negotiating with your kids

These days, families are experiencing a lot of togetherness—and perhaps more disagreement and conflict than usual. Rutgers Business School professor Terri R. Kurtzberg shares insights into how parents can apply negotiation skills to achieve better outcomes—and relationships—with their children.
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