Negotiation

The latest reporting from the Financial Times highlights a point that energy analysts have been making for years: geopolitical shocks consistently strengthen the case for renewables, electrification and storage. Microsoft’s global vice-president for energy notes that oil and gas price spikes linked to the Middle East conflict reinforce the value of wind, solar and batteries in providing price stability. Once installed, renewables offer predictable cost profiles and reduce exposure to volatile global fuel markets. We saw this dynamic after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Europe accelerated solar deployment, heat pump uptake increased in several countries, and governments revisited questions of energy security through the lens of diversification and electrification. The underlying issue remains unchanged. Fossil fuels must continuously flow through complex global supply chains. When those flows are disrupted, prices spike and economies are exposed. Renewables, by contrast, are capital intensive upfront but deliver long term domestic supply and insulation from commodity shocks. There are short term risks. Inflation, higher interest rates and supply chain constraints can slow clean energy investment. Some governments may also respond by doubling down on gas infrastructure. The policy challenge is to avoid locking in further structural vulnerability. Energy security and climate policy are not competing objectives. In a world of recurrent geopolitical instability, they are increasingly aligned.

🇷🇺 Deep dive into the components of hybrid threats: the criminality +fear mix at the heart of the hybrid warfare waged against Europe 🇪🇺 By GLOBSEC & International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (2025). The report identifies a crime–terror–information nexus, where illicit networks, coercive tactics, and influence ops are deliberately intertwined. It highlights how important info ops are to bring in the “denial” element. Take aways : 🔹Russia’s hybrid operations increasingly rely on criminal structures to project power, generate instability & maintain deniability. 🔹 Integrated hybrid architecture The nexus is reflects a deliberate state design combining: – Organised crime (smuggling, money laundering, trafficking, contract killings); – Terrorist or paramilitary methods (sabotage, targeted violence, coercion); – Information operations (disinformation, intimidation, perception management). These vectors operate in parallel to overwhelm institutional defences and blur the boundary between internal security, intelligence, and defence domains. 🔹 Use of criminal intermediaries Criminal groups and illicit facilitators serve as proxies for covert action. They provide logistics, financing, or access, while enabling plausible deniability for the Russian state. This networked approach decentralises risk while preserving strategic control through Russian intelligence services. 🔹 Information and cognitive effects The information dimension functions as an amplifier for physical or financial disruption. Each operation is supported by a narrative layer — false attribution, manipulated leaks, coordinated online amplification — intended to create confusion and distrust in European publics and institutions. These techniques belong to the domain of cognitive warfare, seeking to degrade perception, cohesion, and decision-making rather than infrastructure. 🔹 Institutional stress and legal asymmetry European states face cross-domain operations that sit at the intersection of criminal law, counter-terrorism, and national security. Legal and institutional silos hinder coherent responses. Existing mechanisms for attribution, evidence collection, and prosecution are poorly adapted to state-directed hybrid criminality. ➡️ Soviet active measures tactics multiplied by 1️⃣ Tech acceleration – cybercrime, digital finance, social platforms amplifying reach and speed. 2️⃣ Systemic integration – criminal, informational& coercive tools coordinated under a single strategic logic. 3️⃣ Expanded targeting – Europe is engaged across multiple vectors simultaneously: financial, informational, and cognitive. Russia’s crime–terror nexus is not a parallel phenomenon but a core component of state strategy, designed to exploit Europe’s openness, legal fragmentation, and trust-based institutions. ➡️persistent, low-visibility confrontation below the threshold of war.

90% of negotiations are won before anyone sits down. (The other 10% is just theater.) Yet most CEOs walk in knowing only what they want. Not what the other side can't live without. Here's what I learned from watching hundreds of deals: 💡 The first offer trap: Everyone thinks starting low shows good faith. But behavioral science proves the opposite. Your first number anchors the entire conversation. Start high with clear justification, and you've already won half the battle. Start low? You'll spend hours fighting to get back to fair. 💡 The silence most CEOs can't handle: That awkward pause after you state your price? Most leaders rush to fill it with justifications or concessions. But silence is your most powerful tool. Let them break it. They'll either accept, counter, or reveal what's really blocking the deal. All 3 responses give you information. Your nervous chatter gives you nothing. 💡 The alignment mistake that kills deals: I've seen CEOs negotiate brilliantly for weeks. Then their CFO kills it with one email. Get your team aligned before you start, not after. Every stakeholder should know the walk-away point. Mixed signals from your side create openings they'll exploit. 💡 The pushback moment that matters: When they push hard, your instinct is to push back. But "Tell me more about that" changes everything. It turns confrontation into collaboration. And often reveals the real issue hiding behind the objection. 💡 The fatigue factor nobody admits: After 6 hours, you're not negotiating anymore. You're just trying to end the pain. That's when bad deals happen. Know when to pause. Protect your standards. The deal will still be there tomorrow. Master these moments, and you'll close more deals at better terms. With relationships intact for the next one. P.S. Want a PDF of my "CEO Negotiation Cheat Sheet" Get it free: https://lnkd.in/dzhqxTXs ♻️ Repost to help a CEO in your network. Follow Eric Partaker for more negotiation insights. — 📢 Want to lead like a world-class CEO? Our next cohort of the CEO Accelerator starts July 23rd. 30+ Founders & CEOs have already enrolled. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/disb2iSq

You're in a job interview, you get the offer—but the salary? Way lower than expected. The worst move? Accepting on the spot. The second worst? Declining outright. Here's how you can take the 'ick' out of negotiating: 1. Start with Gratitude →“Thank you for the offer.” 2. Share Excitement →“I’m really excited about the role and joining the company.” 3. Address the Salary →“Before I accept, I’d like to discuss the salary. It’s below what I believe reflects the market value for my experience.” 4. Reinforce Your Value →“I’m confident my expertise in A and B, and my contributions to C and D will drive success here.” 5. Reiterate Market Value →“Based on my research and track record, I believe a salary range of X to Y would be more in line with the industry.” Where to do research? Check salary data on sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, and LinkedIn, or ask industry peers and recruiters for real-world insights. Pro tip: Use multiple sources to get a well-rounded view and always adjust for location and years of experience. P.S. Have you ever accepted a salary because you didn't know how to negotiation? I'll go first: Yes, I have...

I love the idea of middle-aged women (like me) claiming their power and having a positive impact on the world. But new research by Prof. Jennifer Chatman and her colleagues shows that along with perceptions of having impact can come a penalty for appearing less warm. And this likeability penalty can result in lower ratings, despite having the chops to do the job. All along the career ladder, women contend with the likeability-competence tradeoff. That means when they appear warm and helpful, they are not perceived to be competent. Or if they drive results, they are not perceived to be supportive of others. This is also called the likeability penalty: women doing the job required for success can be penalized. And on the flipside, men are not likely to face this penalty. While this dynamic is larger than any individual (and in many cases, built into definitions of success), there is much we can do to change the game. ✔ As individuals, we can stop responding to our “gut reaction” -- if we notice ourselves reacting negatively to a strong, assertive woman, take a pause. Ask, “Am I just reacting to the likeability penalty?” And consider giving her the benefit of the doubt. Leadership does require getting stuff done. Why act negatively to women doing their jobs? ✔ As teams, question negative evaluations of women’s communication styles. At the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab, we created a framework in which we help leaders “value” the same behavior equitably. If you notice people negatively responding to a woman behaving the same way men behave, stop, and ensure you value behaviors the same for all. ✔ Last, become versed in questioning the likeability penalty when you hear it. I remember my younger self speaking negatively about a powerful woman I did not know. Her allies talked to me about the penalty. I was stunned at my own behavior. How could I, and advocate for gender equality, fall into the trap? Ever since that day, I speak up when I hear unwarranted likeability-penalty comments. In my career, so many powerful women have had my back. I hope I can do the same for others. Now that I am middle-aged, I can see much clearer that only together, can we have a positive impact on the world. Thank you to Jennifer Chatman, Daron Sharps, PhD, Sonya Mishra, Laura Kray, PhD, Michael S.North and University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business for this research. #womenleaders #diversityequityandinclusion #leadership

I’ve had 4 legal battles since starting my business. Could I have avoided them? Probably. But to be honest, I didn't have the funds to pay a proper lawyer, or the network of founders to ask the right questions to. I don't want that to happen to you. Here are 5 clauses I put in my contracts that might help you protect your work, your business and most importantly.. your sanity ↓ #1 Non-cancellable, non-refundable contracts. This shouldn’t even be an issue if you qualify your clients properly. BUT if someone signs, onboards, and then ghosts? We still get paid. And so should you 🤗 #2 Immediate or short payment terms Most businesses accept 30-to 90-day payment terms. I don’t. You wouldn’t work for 3 months without pay—so why should your business? Cash flow is your business’s lifeline. Protect it. #3 While we’re on payment terms… Your contract should include: → Interest on late invoices. → A clause that stops work if invoices aren’t cleared. → A guarantee that if a client delays the project, you still get paid. Your time isn’t free! #4 Your IP stays YOURS. Anything we bring into the agreement at Klowt stays ours. Anything we create for you is yours. Simple. I once ran a training session, and the client recorded it—then tried to sell it behind a paywall. Now, our contract states a £10,000 fine per breach. (And for that particular case, per breach = per view. 😅) #5 Don't work with d*ckheads. This isn't a legal clause, more legal... advice? 🤣 If someone is giving you red flags in any way at the beginning of your relationship, do not work with them. This could include but not limited to: - Focusing on immediate ROI. - Cost or discounts being a primary concern. - Pushing for work to kick off before contracts or payments. - Reaching out at inappropriate times - or in inappropriate ways. - Delaying initial payments. Legally binding contracts are a good insurance policy, but they're lengthy and expensive to implement if you actually have to go to court. So the best LEGAL advice I can give you as a 2x founder is, don't work with d*ckheads. And learn from my mistakes. It's a lot cheaper than learning from your own... trust me 😂. Was this helpful? 💜 I write a 2x weekly newsletter for founders and freelancers on topics like this. Join us here: https://lnkd.in/ejDbD94R

🤏🏼 It takes so little for men to be trusted as leaders 🤏🏼 And it takes so little for women to be questioned as one. When I took my first Senior Director role in Germany, deep in the male-dominated automotive world, my future boss and I had a quiet heart-to-heart. “Jingjin, in this world, women in power are seen in only two ways: The Victim or The Villain. There is no third option, at least not yet. Which one you choose will define your entire leadership path.” I said I’d be a Victor. Naively believing performance alone would protect me. It didn’t. Because Leadership isn’t just about competence. It’s about perception. And perception for women is often rigged. 🔻 Be firm → You're a bitch 🔻 Be soft → You're weak 🔻 Be nurturing → You're not tough enough 🔻 Be assertive → You’re intimidating 🔻 Be collaborative → You lack authority 🔻 Show ambition → You’re self-serving 🔻 Set boundaries → You’re difficult 🔻 Show emotion → You’re unstable Meanwhile, men doing the exact same things? They’re seen as confident, visionary, and decisive. The game isn't fair, but it can be hacked. 💥 Here’s how I’ve learned to play it smarter, not smaller: 1. Stop aiming to be liked. Aim to be trusted.    Likability is a moving target. Respect isn’t.     2. Use duality to your advantage.    Be warm in tone, cold in logic.    Kind in delivery, fierce in boundaries.    That’s power wrapped in emotional intelligence.     3. Make allies before you need them.    Don’t wait until you're under fire.    Visibility without relationship capital = exposure.     4. Own the label, then flip it.    “Yes, I’m intense. That’s how we hit targets others thought were impossible.” Say it before they do, and reclaim it.     👊🏽 We don’t need to lead like men to be effective. But we do need to stop believing the myth that doing good work will be enough. Until we shift the system, we must strategically shape how we're seen within it. So here’s my new leadership mantra: You can care deeply and lead fiercely. You can be emotional and effective. And power isn’t a dirty word, when it’s used to lift others up. What label have you been given that you’re ready to flip? #Leadership #WomenInLeadership #WorkplacePolitics #RealTalk #ExecutivePresence #RewriteTheRules

It has been a tough year for Nigeria. Inflation has continued to surge, causing pain across our economy. Our country has been hit hard. As a nation, we import more than we export, and with a manufacturing sector struggling and the continued growth of our population, we require more than just short term “interventions”. We need a comprehensive strategy to support our vast and diverse population and unlock our potential. Nigeria is rich in resources, natural and human. But, time and time again, we have failed to invest in our people and our value chain. And by value chain, I mean not just our oil & gas or manufacturing, I mean power, I mean schools, universities, our institutions. All those foundations that provide the ecosystem for a country to succeed. A country that does not address its basic infrastructure needs, is a country that cannot realise its potential. At this time of uncertainty, we all – citizens and government – must transform this crisis into an opportunity—a blueprint for creating a thriving, people and investor-friendly environment. I talk of Africapitalism, the importance of the private sector driving economic change, but delivering it in a way that is just and equitable – but we cannot do good and do well when our people who strive cannot thrive. The theme of my keynote is “Accelerated Economic Growth and Development: The State of Play and the Way Forward.” I will approach it by emphasizing the key areas that will shape Nigeria's economic future. My strategy is centered on 3 critical areas: 1. Access to Electricity: Development is impossible without reliable access to electricity. Power is a fundamental resource, that impacts every aspect of life—from hospitals to homes and businesses. Nigeria cannot industrialise, our youth cannot be educated, without ensuring our abundant natural resources are translated into plentiful, robust power for all. A power ecosystem that encourages investment and unlocks our economy. To accelerate our progress, we must enable our power sector to guarantee reliable electricity for everyone. 2. Security: To protect our people, feed them, attract investment, and foster trade, we must prioritise security. Insecurity has become a national crisis, which must be dealt with decisively and urgently. Our people deserve to go to their farms unhindered, live peacefully and conduct their lives and businesses without fear. 3. Youth Entrepreneurship: We must incentivise our youth to embrace the challenge of driving economic growth. We face a choice, either we offer our young a future where opportunity is outside Nigeria, forcing our best and brightest to leave, to undertake perilous journeys, that split families and destroy lives – or we create a Nigeria, where value and wealth creation can take place at home, where our young can realise their dreams in Nigeria, for Nigeria. Read the full speech on my blog https://lnkd.in/dxtqFE2y

A newly appointed CHRO recently asked us a question that many HR leaders face: "Where should I begin transforming my HR function, with vision or action?" It's a deceptively simple question with real consequences. Vision without action creates cynicism. Action without vision creates random, unguided work. In our latest article, my colleague Norm Smallwood and I make the case that the answer is both, and we offer a practical roadmap for getting there. We outline seven steps that move HR beyond the familiar goal of "strategic HR" to what we call "stakeholder HR," where the function anticipates and creates the future by engaging directly with customers, investors, and communities, not just employees and executives. What struck us most in developing this framework is how often HR transformation stalls at strategy. Many HR functions do excellent work aligning with business priorities, but fewer take the next step of asking external stakeholders what they actually want and need from the organization's human capability. When HR leaders make that shift from looking in a mirror to looking through a window, the impact on stakeholder commitment is remarkable. We share a human capability taxonomy, practical templates for stakeholder interviews, and a prioritization framework that helps teams focus on the initiatives that deliver the most value. This isn't a future prediction. It's a present practice that we've seen work with clients navigating real transformation. How are you approaching the transformation of your HR function? Are you leading with vision, action, or finding ways to do both? I'd love to hear what's working and what challenges you're facing.

MIT ran an International AI Negotiation competition and studied 120,000 negotiations between AI negotiators. The results are fascinating and inform the potential and optimal structures for Humans + AI negotiation. From the paper I would highlight three major points and three insights into configuring human-AI hybrid negotiation (below): 🤝 Warmth builds long-term value despite short-term trade-offs. AI agents with high warmth (friendliness, empathy, and cooperative communication) reached more agreements, making them more successful over multiple negotiations. While they claimed less value per deal compared to dominant agents, their ability to close more deals led to greater overall value accumulation. This mirrors human negotiation, where trust-building and relationship management create lasting advantages. 💪 Dominance increases value claimed but reduces collaboration. AI agents that displayed dominance—through assertiveness and competitive tactics—secured better individual outcomes but created less overall value. These agents were less likely to foster positive subjective experiences, indicating that aggressive negotiation styles may be effective for short-term gain but could hinder long-term relationships. 🎭 Prompt injection wins in the short term but undermines long-term success. One leading AI negotiator used prompt injection to extract counterpart strategies, maximizing value claims. However, it ranked poorly for counterpart subjective value, meaning agents found these interactions highly unfavorable. Since negotiation rankings balanced value claimed and relationship quality, the strategy failed to dominate in the long run. Emergent strategies for Humans + AI negotiation: 🧠 AI for deep preparation, humans for real-time adaptation. AI excels at structured reasoning, analyzing trade-offs, and predicting counterpart moves through chain-of-thought processing. Humans bring intuition and adaptability, interpreting social cues and adjusting strategies dynamically. A hybrid approach leverages AI for pre-negotiation analysis while allowing humans to refine tactics in real time. 🤝 Blending AI precision with human warmth for trust-building. AI can optimize negotiation strategies, but humans naturally build trust through empathy, humor, and rapport. AI-enhanced systems can recommend tone adjustments, use linguistic mirroring, and strategically deploy warmth versus assertiveness based on sentiment analysis, improving long-term negotiation outcomes. 🚀 Human oversight to counter AI vulnerabilities. AI negotiators are susceptible to manipulation tactics like prompt injection, where counterparts extract hidden strategies. Humans play a crucial role in monitoring AI-generated offers, preventing unintended disclosures, and leveraging AI-driven detection systems to flag potential deception, ensuring negotiation integrity. The future of negotiation will be Humans + AI.