http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.kevinsimms.co.nz en-us Wed, 05 Aug 2026 12:07:43 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168160/the-most-effective-negotiation-tactic-according-to-ai/ The most effective negotiation tactic may also be one of the simplest: asking better questions. New research shows that open-ended questions can uncover valuable information and lead to better outcomes. Read more...When preparing for a negotiation, people often concentrate on what they are going to say. They rehearse their arguments, organise their evidence and decide how they will respond if the other party pushes back.However, research analysed with the help of artificial intelligence suggests... Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:48:39 +1200 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168160 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168151/what-people-still-get-wrong-about-negotiations/ Negotiation is not always a contest over a fixed amount of value. By understanding what each party genuinely values, it may be possible to create a better agreement for everyone. Read more...Many people approach negotiation as though they are dividing a fixed pie. If one party receives more, the other must receive less.This belief encourages people to protect information, make aggressive demands and concentrate on claiming their share. However, it can also prevent them from recognising opportuni... Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168151 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168152/should-you-write-with-gen-ai/ Generative AI can make business writing faster and easier, but it can also introduce errors and flatten your individual voice. The answer is not necessarily whether to use it, but how. Read more...Writing occupies a significant part of the working day. Emails, reports, proposals, meeting notes and presentations all compete for our time and attention.It is easy to understand the appeal of generative AI. A tool that can produce a draft in seconds appears to offer an immediate solution to informati... Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168152 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168138/a-simple-way-to-communicate-more-effectively/ Clear communication is not always about finding better words. Often, it is about giving your message a structure that makes it easier for people to understand, remember and act upon.In his Harvard Business Review article, A Simple Hack to Help You Communicate More Effectively, communication expert Matt Abrahams introduces a practical three-part framework:... Sun, 01 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168138 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168150/to-make-your-pitches-more-engaging-appeal-to-multiple-learning-styles/ A good idea can still fail to connect if it is presented in only one way. Combining stories, visuals, evidence and interaction can help more of your audience understand and remember your message. Read more...When a pitch fails to gain support, we often blame the idea, the presenter or the quality of the slides. However, the problem may be that the presentation does not give the audience enough ways to engage with the message.People do not all process information in exactly the same way. Some wan... Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168150 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168149/how-to-handle-an-emotionally-charged-negotiation/ When emotions run high, even an experienced negotiator can lose sight of the real issue. Slowing the conversation down and listening for what lies beneath the conflict can create a way forward. Read more...Conflict is an unavoidable part of leadership. It may involve competing priorities, damaged trust, an unhappy client, a difficult employment issue or a commercially important agreement.Whatever the situation, a negotiation becomes more difficult when strong emotions are involved. Frustration, ... Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168149 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168148/the-secret-to-a-good-meeting-preparation/ Productive meetings rarely happen by accident. The quality of the conversation, decisions and outcomes often depends on the preparation completed before anyone enters the room. Read more...Meetings are a necessary part of business, but they are not always a productive one. Too often, people arrive without knowing exactly why they are there, what they need to contribute or what should have been achieved by the time the meeting ends.The difference between a meeting that creates momentum and one th... Tue, 27 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168148 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168145/the-best-public-speakers-put-their-audience-first/ Exceptional public speaking is about more than delivering a polished introduction, maintaining eye contact or appearing confident on stage. The most effective speakers focus on what their audience needs to understand, feel and do.In her Harvard Business Review article, The Best Public Speakers Put the Audience First, communication expert Deborah Grayson Riegel suggests approaching public speaking as a form of servant leadership. Instead of using the stage to demonstrate everything you know, use ... Tue, 13 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +1300 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168145 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/168153/stop-ghosting-and-start-saying-no/ Avoiding an uncomfortable response may feel easier in the moment, but professional ghosting creates uncertainty and damages trust. A clear and respectful “no” is usually far kinder. Read more...Ghosting is normally associated with dating, but it has become common in professional life as well.A recruiter disappears after several interviews. A potential client stops responding after requesting a proposal. A colleague promises an introduction but never follows through. Someone asks for help and... Thu, 11 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post168153 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/post/161824/americas-top-fears-public-speaking-heights-and-bugs/ Democrats are nearly twice as likely as Republicans to have a fear of clowns. They are also significantly more likely to fear bugs, snakes and other animals, as well as blood and needles. Democrats are slightly more likely to be afraid of ghosts.... Fri, 15 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.kevinsimms.co.nz/blog/#post161824