The Seven Tensions of Negotiation w/ Cash Nickerson

Mar 25, 2025

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Cash Nickerson is chairman of AKKA North America’s Business Unit. He was President, CFO, General Counsel, and the second largest shareholder of PDS Tech prior to its purchase by AKKA Technologies. Prior to that he served as an attorney and marketing executive for Union Pacific Railroad, a partner at Jenner & Block, and chairman and CEO of an internet company. Mr. Nickerson, author of several books including The Seven Tensions of Negotiation, is an avid writer and speaker on the workplace, jobs, and the economy. Mr. Nickerson is the founder and president of the David H. Nickerson Foundation, which supports prostate cancer research.

Mentioned on the Show

Cash's website: https://cashnickerson.com/

Connect with Cash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevencashnickerson

The Seven Tensions of Negotiations by Cash Nickerson: https://a.co/d/h0PnViR

Getting to Yes, the negotiation classic by Fisher, Ury, and Patton: https://a.co/d/1veJWUs

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://a.co/d/c7ZyKUI

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Connect with O’Brien McMahon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienmcmahon/

Learn more about O’Brien: https://obrienmcmahon.com/

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Timestamps

(00:00) - Welcome to People Business

(1:58) - Introducing Cash

(2:18) - What is the difference between Positional and Principled negotiation?

(5:20) - What are the Seven Tensions of Negotiation?

(6:42) - Is Power the same as leverage?

(11:08) - What’s the definition of ‘negotiation’?

(12:22) - Is there a type of person who does better with negotiation? What makes a good negotiator?

(21:59) - How do we battle scarcity when negotiating?

(23:30) - Do you have tips for people to reset their expectations in negotiations?

(29:52) - How do you think about Outcome tension?

(33:33) - What does prepping a negotiation look like?

(41:23) - When is it a good idea to use leverage and when is it not?

(45:06) - The role of bluffing in negotiations.

(47:20) - Team negotiations: speed and proximity

(50:18) - Can you have a direct conversation with one person when negotiating with a team?

(53:18) - How do digital/virtual platforms impact negotiations?

(54:36) - Have the other party make the hard decision.