Entries by Ralf

The Mentor’s Edge: How the “Protégé Effect” enhances Negotiation Skills. Teach, Learn, Win.

We can easily imagine this: Tomorrow, you’ll negotiate a critical deal, one that could redefine your career. You meticulously prepare as always, do your “setting stage” speech, revising strategies, analysis, scenarios, prepare your MESO’s, concession plans, Ackermann Bargaining options and such.. But what if there was one unconventional step, one you’ve never considered, but that […]

“Joseph” – The Unexpected Parallels Between Photography and Negotiation

Some of you know I’m an various fields action-sports enthusiast—photography, to me, once seemed a pastime reserved for after a second heart attack, if ever. Yet, Julia Anna Gospodarou’s bestselling “From Basics to Fine Art” transformed me into a hobbyist photographer far sooner than expected. My recent entry, “Joseph,” for this year’s int. “Black & […]

Life Hack “Feynman Technique”: If you can’t explain it simple, you don’t understand it well enough

A sentence of pure beauty, right? Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was someone could clearly explain even complex topics in a way that everybody without degrees in the sciences could understand. In our overcomplicated world  - A gift heaven sent. To try it out right away: Simplify and summarise concepts when doing/learning something new. If you […]

A Negotiator’s View: The Zeigarnik Effect’s Hidden Leverage in Negotiation

Picture this: I’m hunched over my glowing office monitor, hours melting into revelations, caffeine-fueled and wide-eyed, diving into MIT’s “Mastering Negotiation and Influence” course. The maestro? Nice guy Mr. Jared Curhan: Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management, negotiation sage and a man who could probably talk & influence a shark into buying flippers.. In essence, his […]

Negotiation: “The Ultimate Risk Vaccine for a World on the Brink”

How Proactive Negotiation and Diplomacy Acts as Globalization’s Immune System, and Why We Need a Booster Shot now The World Economic Forum’s 2024 Global Risks Report reads like a dystopian blockbuster: AI-driven disinformation hijacks democracies, climate chaos redraws borders and geoeconomic fractures threaten to shatter supply chains. Anyhow, maybe beneath the doomscroll lies an underrated […]

A Chief Negotiator’s View: About The Trifecta of Trust

Trust lies at the heart of every successful negotiation, leadership decision and meaningful professional relationship. Its essence is not merely a passive expectation but a dynamic interplay of behaviors that inspire confidence, drive collaboration and cultivate mutual respect. Drawing from cutting-edge research and practical guides, including Keld Jensen’s innovative “Smartnership” approach with its focus on […]

A Chief Negotiator’s View: Dmitri Trenin on Ukraine’s Post-Conflict Path and Russia’s Strategy

Dmitri Vitalyevich Trenin, a distinguished Russian political analyst and former military officer, has significantly influenced Russian foreign policy discourse. Serving in the Soviet and Russian armed forces from 1972 to 1993, he held various positions, including liaison officer in Germany and participation in U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms negotiations in Geneva. Notably, he was the first non-NATO […]

About the recent Prisoner Swap and “Tactical Complexity” in Negotiations

On August 1, 2024, the U.S. and Russia conducted a complex prisoner swap in Ankara, Turkey, involving 16 individuals, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and convicted Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov. This high-stakes negotiation also involved prisoners from Belarus and Russian spies held in Western countries. The swap highlighted several strategic challenges and the […]

The Path from Negotiation Failures to Strategic Peace Planning

New Strategic Peace Proposal: Transforming UKR/RUS Conflict into Opportunity This document presents a comprehensive analysis of the past UKR/RUS Turkey Negotiations incl. the final draft and innovative solutions to the ongoing Ukraine conflict. It begins with a detailed review of the Turkey Peace Talks, highlighting the complexities that led to their failure beside political reasons. […]