Adam Galinsky, Maurice Schweitzer

[The] question — should we cooperate or should we compete — is often the wrong one. Our most important relationships are neither cooperative nor competitive. Instead, they are both. Rather than choosing a single course of action, we need to understand that cooperation and competition often occur simultaneously and we must nimbly shift between the two, and that how we navigate the tension between these … [ Read more ]

The Four Horsemen of Negotiator Power

To maximize their success at the bargaining table, negotiators should maximize their power.

Losing Touch: Power Diminishes Perception and Perspective

Power diminishes perception and perspective: Why are some managers seemingly incapable of understanding their subordinates’ points of view? Adam Galinsky finds that high-power individuals anchor too heavily on their own perspectives and demonstrate a diminished ability to correctly perceive the perspective of others.

‘Goals Gone Wild’: How Goal Setting Can Lead to Disaster

Despite evidence that ambitious goal setting can hurt productivity, damage a company’s reputation and violate ethical standards, its use has become endemic in American business practice and scholarship, even spilling over to the debate on how to improve America’s public schools. A new paper by Wharton operations and information management professor Maurice E. Schweitzer and three co-authors documents the hazards of corporate goal setting and … [ Read more ]

Goals Gone Wild: The Systematic Side Effects of Over-Prescribing Goal Setting

Goal setting is one of the most replicated and influential paradigms in the management literature. Hundreds of studies conducted in numerous countries and contexts have consistently demonstrated that setting specific, challenging goals can powerfully drive behavior and boost performance. Advocates of goal setting have had a substantial impact on research, management education, and management practice. In this article, we argue that the beneficial effects of … [ Read more ]

The Thought of Acquiring Power Motivates People to Act

A study from the Stanford Graduate School of Business about what motivates people to take action finds that the prime mover, say researchers, is acquiring a position of power. Specifically, it is people’s new, more elevated perception of themselves after assuming a position with more power that inspires them to take more risks and pursue goals more confidently. Taking on a formal position of power—be … [ Read more ]

Mimicry a big plus in negotiations, a new study suggests

A study suggests that subtly imitating mannerisms, gestures, etc., of the other partner during a face-to-face negotiation can lead to greater success for both parties.

When to Make the First Offer in Negotiations

Common wisdom for negotiations says it’s better to wait for your opponent to make the first offer. In fact, you may win by making the first offer yourself.