The Role of the Right-Brainers

Deal People -- We need to think beyond our transactions!

This means looking at the world of interaction and influence, and looking at the world beyond common left-brain skills (like accounting and law, for example). Daniel Pink, super blogger and author of some outstanding books, has given us a key to the world of interaction. Specifically, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule The Future. In it, Pink introduces readers to six right-brain senses we need to supplement our left-brain senses with in order to successfully differentiate ourselves. They are the following:

· Design

· Story

· Symphony

· Empathy

· Play

· Meaning

Once we adopt these senses and the accompanying mindset of interaction (in addition to the left-brain skills), we will provide our clients with a differentiated value.

So go out there and master storytelling, bring design to your practice, and place a real importance on laughing and playing. If you haven’t yet read A Whole New Mind, I highly suggest it. It is a life changer.

You can find it here.

[Photo Credit: Mercedes Benz ad from here].

The Power of Entrepreneurial Thinking Everywhere

Oftentimes people think you have to be a certain type of person in order to become an entrepreneur. I’m here to say they’re all wrong. Being a good entrepreneur requires a specific mindset, and one that anyone can take on.

In this day in age we need entrepreneurial mindsets to be able to create and innovate in situations of great ambiguity. Here at the law studio we use a framework called ET & A (Entrepreneurial Thought & Action), developed by Babson’s College President Len Schlesinger, in its simple form:

The 4 questions you answer are:

Who am I?

What do I know?

Who do I know?

What am I willing to lose?

Once you have answered those questions, the proper entrepreneurial mindset will be yours. Just remember – the next key element is action.

(Photo -- from here).

Deal Day Questions

There are a lot of unknowns in the deal world, but one thing is crystal clear to us: you need to ask the right questions. In September we wrote about some good questions to ask your opponent while at the negotiation table, but those aren’t the questions we’re talking about now. What we’re interested in are the three questions you need to ask yourself before you make a decision on your deal.

BE SURE TO ASK YOURSELF:

1. Is this deal worth my time and effort?

2. What are the key terms in the deal?

3. Can we be successful with those exact terms?

If the answer to numbers one or three are “no” or “maybe,” run far, far away. If the answers are a solid “yes,” then you’re golden.

What questions do you ask yourself before you make your final decision?

Finding Your True North

A compass is an instrument for finding direction. One of the most powerful assets in our lives is that only you can be you. Your core challenge in life is to find your true north – your authentic self – using that magnet within you that is called your soul. And, upon such discovery, to focus your being toward advancing the human condition.


In the deal world, your compass should be filled out as follows:

North = Knowing what you want (the essence – it's more than time and money)

East = Knowing who you know that can help you with this particular deal

West= Knowing what resources you have to work with

South = Knowing who or how you can fairly share the risk

Have you ever used a deal compass like this? Has it proved helpful?

[Photo Credit: http://www.nateriggs.com/]

Deal Cartographer

It's sad but true -- deal world is full of ambiguity. We have tools at our fingertips that we can use to navigate this unknown terrain, however.

When making a deal in a landscape of ambiguity, it's imperative to use at least two tools (deal map and compass) and one strategy (relationship building). Today we'll discuss the first tool:

The Deal Map: Be sure that you can visualize your deal. One way to create a deal map is to draw a picture of your desired destination, then fill the map in backwards as you go through negotiations. The visual landscape of your desire mixed with what is actually happening will form the landscape. When you take a look at it, you'll recognize bridges, barriers and gaps to your desired destination. With each deal you'll get better, and more effective strategies and tactics will come to mind. Eventually, you'll become a deal cartographer. If you can draw your deal, you'll fully understand it.

With a Deal Map you can navigate your way through all obstacles by turning them into opportunities, and you'll therefore find yourself where you want to be. If you don't like where you're headed, reroute. Here's an example of a simple Deal Map we created at WieseLaw.

Next week we'll discuss the second essential tool for a successful negotiation, The Compass. Stay tuned! Meantime, make sure you strategize your next deal by creating a Deal Map of your own.

Photo from webresourcesdepot.com

Filter Your Opportunities

Those of us who are lucky enough to have jobs are typically time-starved. When this occurs we aren’t reflecting on what we’re doing, and reflection is invaluable because from that comes excellence, creativity and innovation.

We believe doing less, better is the wise approach. Our ability to say “no,” has increased the quality of what we’ve said “yes” to. We need to have discipline over our time, and one good way to battle our time poverty is through creating an opportunity filter. Look at each of your opportunities carefully and make sure what you’re doing is your best option.

Here’s the opportunity filter we use at WieseLaw. Before you jump on another opportunity, be sure to adopt a filter of your own.

What are the elements of your filter?

Photo from greenfield-services.ca

Book Giveaway -- EXTENDED!

Many thanks to everyone who participated in our book giveaway! We're extending the giveaway for the following two books:

• Up North, Reflections Moments & Memories by Joe Brandmeier
• Negotiation Genius by Deepak Malhotra and Max H. Bazerman

Watch for Facebook messages and and tweets for your chance to win!