What do a real estate broker in Hamburg, a researcher at Kühne Logistics University, and a founder in Singapore have in common?
They all negotiate every day. Then again, most of us probably do. But what connects these three is that none of them thinks in terms of individual deals.
🔹 Rohit Jha, CEO of Transcelestial, Singapore: “I put all the features and prices on the table and hand the other party a pen. Cross out what you don’t need.” If they want less, they have to say what they are willing to give up. An elegant reversal of conventional negotiation logic — and an effective way to build trust.
🔹 Niels van Quaquebeke, Professor of Leadership at Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg: “I have learned that thinking beyond a single negotiation is more important than the short-term gain.”
🔹 Ulf von der Heydt, Managing Director of BHI Hamburg: “Good negotiations have one thing in common: clarity and openness. When those are present, everything can move quickly and smoothly.”
What connects the three is that none of them optimizes for the moment.
Jha turns trust into a method by framing discussions around value. Van Quaquebeke describes it as the compound-interest effect of social capital — relationships that shorten the path to agreement the next time around. And von der Heydt adds a dimension that is often overlooked: sometimes the best outcome emerges when the intermediary consciously steps back and allows the parties to come together without him.
Good negotiations do not end with an agreement. They lay the foundation for the next one.