posts By RED BEAR

The WNBA is experiencing unprecedented growth. Six new expansion teams, record television ratings, and a massive new TV rights deal as part of the NBA's broader contract have fundamentally altered the league's financial landscape. But with new money comes new tension—and the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations reveal classic negotiation dynamics that every business leader...

Philadelphia's ongoing municipal workers' strike has entered its seventh day, with trash piling up in neighborhoods and negotiations between Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration and AFSCME District Council 33 at an apparent standstill. While this public sector dispute plays out in the headlines, it offers valuable lessons for business leaders navigating their own high-stakes negotiations.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's recent comments about US-India trade negotiations being "beyond the middle" offer a masterclass in strategic negotiation positioning. His measured approach—expressing cautious optimism while acknowledging "there is another party involved"—reveals sophisticated planning power that sales and procurement professionals can learn from.

In the high-stakes world of Major League Baseball, where player contracts can exceed $300 million and every decision shapes franchise destiny, Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer recently offered a master class in strategic negotiation philosophy. His approach to Kyle Tucker's looming contract extension reveals principles that extend far beyond baseball diamonds into corporate...

When 9,000 Philadelphia city workers represented by AFSCME District Council 33 walked out of contract negotiations on Monday, it marked more than just another labor dispute—it highlighted critical negotiation failures that business leaders can learn from. After months of talks and a mayoral offer of 12% pay increases over one term (the largest in 30 years), both sides reached an impasse that...

The second round of negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Japan commenced this week in Tokyo, offering a compelling real-world example of negotiation principles in action. This comprehensive agreement, spanning June 30 to July 4, showcases how sophisticated negotiators uncover true motivations, leverage power dynamics, and create value that...

The past week delivered a masterclass in negotiation dynamics across industries—from union halls to professional sports to international trade corridors. As negotiation experts, we're always watching real-world examples to identify patterns that can inform better business outcomes. Here's what this week's headlines taught us about power, patience, and strategic decision-making.

The recent NJ Transit engineers' strike that brought rail service to a halt for three days offers a compelling case study in how understanding underlying motivations—what RED BEAR calls "buying motives"—can make or break high-stakes negotiations. While the immediate issue appeared to be wages, the real drivers behind both sides' positions reveal deeper psychological and strategic motivations that...

The WNBA Players Association's current collective bargaining negotiations offer a masterclass in organizational power—specifically, how groups can leverage unity and timing to reshape negotiation dynamics that have historically favored the other side.

The ongoing labor dispute between DHL and its unionized workers offers a compelling case study in how artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the landscape of modern negotiations. Beyond the traditional issues of wages and working conditions, this conflict highlights a critical new battleground: protecting jobs from AI displacement while adapting to technological change.