When I teach negotiation, I pull out the Six Principles of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini (a professor and sociologist) and we discuss two things: the students’ own experience with being persuaded (or not) and how they might use these principles in negotiations and at work, in general.

Here are the big six:

· Reciprocity

· Scarcity

· Authority

· Consistency

· Consensus

· Liking (people)

Let me explain each one and how they may be used “against” you to be persuaded and even (gasp) manipulated.

Are you trying to make a decision about something and just can’t get past some of the “ish” factors? Or are you talking yourself into something that maybe you (or your trusted network) might not feel so right about- maybe you are wanting to just get that first deal? ALSO: Loss aversion can derail our plans, our business, our life. It makes us focus too much on the short-term and not the long-term. We tend to give up on things that we see as loss to us especially when we apply great meaning to that thing, whatever it might be. We need to remember to always think long-term.

When we make good choices, we want to be aware of our biases and think more clearly. Here are ideas to make better decisions:

Our biases can damage our decision-making process and even endanger our plans, projects and companies

Are you overwhelmed? Do you have a tough decision? Are you in a difficult situation? The HIT list may help you to decide what to do.