Positive Business Conference

The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan is the leading center of excellence globally for positive business. We believe that business can be an extraordinary vehicle for positive change in today’s dynamic global economy. On May 15-17, 2014, join us for the inaugural Ross Positive Business Conference. Together, we will explore the most inspiring and […]

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Being ‘Good’ Isn’t the Only Way to Go

Aaron Hurst, in an article for the New York Times, urges the importance of engagement in the workplace, citing research from Jane Dutton and Amy Wrzesniewski:

“Finding meaning is about being engaged. When Amy Wrzesniewski, an associate professor at Yale, and Jane E. Dutton, a professor at the University of Michigan, along with other researchers, looked at workers in a wide range of organizations, from hospital cleaners to administrators and managers, they found several ways in which workers crafted purpose in each profession.

Their findings reinforced previous research that had demonstrated that the ways individuals viewed work might be more tied to their personality traits than to the work itself. They infuse their work with purpose learned from past experiences. How they view work may largely be driven by the role models they had growing up. Some see it as merely a chore in their lives, while others view it as the core of life.”

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Want to be a Better Negotiator? Be Yourself

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Mention the word “negotiation” and a number of metaphors come to mind — arms-length, check your emotions at the door, win the competition.

U-M Ross Professor Shirli Kopelman, who has researched negotiations for more than a decade, thinks that’s the wrong approach. She illustrates an innovative, positive way to think about negotiations and get better outcomes in her new book, Negotiating Genuinely: Being Yourself in Business (Stanford University Press).

“Negotiations aren’t just a competition. They’re about co-creating value and being cooperative and competitive at the same time,” says Kopelman, professor of management and organizations. “We’re so used to doing business by wearing our work hat and focusing on our role. I’m calling on people to be their full selves and wear all of their hats. This allows you to tap more of your personal resources.”

Her goal is to turn a positive lens on negotiations and transform them from a tug-of-war between opponents to a conversation between people building value. The book shares strategies and techniques, along with exercises to shine a light on how to apply them.

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