We all negotiate in various aspects of everyday life, whether in the workplace or at home. But most of us approach negotiations as head-on-head bargaining.

Shai Dubey, Distinguished Faculty Fellow of Business Law at Smith School of Business, explains that if we can step back from a confrontational mindset and truly understand what the other party wants, we can build to something that lets everyone have their interests met. “A successful negotiation is when the parties leave the table getting what they both wanted,” he says, “they have a strong relationship and they’re looking forward to coming back to doing more deals together.”

In this video, Dubey unpacks what makes a successful negotiator, explores some of the common mistakes people make during negotiations, and reinforces the importance of good preparation before coming to the table. “The preparation in a negotiation is probably the most critical piece … because so much information can be flying at you,” he says.

Dubey also sheds light on the roles of empathy and openness in mastering negotiation skills to enhance relationships, both professionally and personally.