One key to effective negotiation is to keep your opponent guessing by randomizing your strategy. And right now, there might not be a more prolific example of this kind of strategy than President Donald Trump’s communication style.  

In this episode, hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen are joined by Peter Robinson, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan.  

Together, they examine Trump’s communication style by comparing and contrasting it with Reagan’s. They also discuss the effectiveness of an unpredictable communication strategy, whether Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks are calculated or mere chaos, and Peter shares behind-the-scenes details of the Reagan administration including how Peter came to write the famous line, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”  
 

Find All Else Equal on the web:  
https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/allelse/

All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of the UPenn Wharton Lauder Institute through University FM.