In my last post, I presented my vision to empower entrepreneurs.

There are many ways to do this, and I promise to share some of them here in future posts. But before we dive in headfirst into this toolbox – which I will be doing in the following posts – allow me to share a couple of the preliminary steps I take before even getting into the deal at hand, which always work wonders for me.

1. No Fights at the Round Table

I try to make sure that the meetings I set up take place around a round table. This little tidbit may seem a bit random, but I find that sitting together around a round table takes the sting out of the general ambiance. it’s no longer an “Us vs. Them” mentality – as would be the case when the two parties sit on opposite sides of a rectangle table – but rather a collaborative effort by all participants to make progress.

2. Meet & Eat

I like to schedule meetings over lunch. There’s just something about breaking bread together that allows both parties to lower their guard a bit. According to several studies (including one published at Harvard Business Review), eating while negotiating can lead to more collaboration and productivity.

3. A smile will go the mile

Lastly, no matter what, I make it a point to always smile at people and treat them with respect.

It is a small change, but it could be the first step in achieving interactions with other parties that are clear and respectful. After all, this is what the legal world is all about. Creating a contract, for example, should be about collaboration and a clear, respectful agreement where each party’s rights are maintained. That is why I strongly advocate viewing the legal world as a facilitator for win-win situations.

So, if you haven’t sat at a round-table meeting or had a lunch meeting, I highly recommend giving these a try. And always, smile.

Today’s post covers some preliminary tips. As we go deeper into the rabbit hole with this blog, the tools I will provide for you will be much more significant. I personally can’t wait.

Which tip are you going to start implementing? You can tell me all about it at clawdia@clawdia.ai.

As always, share with your friends or other entrepreneurs you know, and subscribe if you haven’t already.

Yours,
Clawdia