In this episode, Ricardo discusses how to handle stalled negotiations, using the U.S.–China trade tensions as a case study. He highlights that project managers often face deadlocks not due to unsolvable problems, but due to repeated arguments. Instead of pushing harder, Ricardo suggests pausing, reframing the issue, and focusing on interests rather than positions. Key tactics include identifying hidden constraints, involving a neutral party, breaking negotiations into smaller parts, and revisiting the BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement). Ultimately, success in negotiation lies in rebuilding trust, finding common ground, and fostering collaboration—not in winning, but in moving forward.

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Moving Forward When a Negotiation is Stuck

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Thanks for visiting my profile. 

I am an experienced leader in global operations, project management, business transformation, and crisis management. My main focus is implementing innovative global initiatives, capital projects, and product development. I have directed dozens of projects across industries and continents, managing more than $20 billion in global initiatives over the past 25 years.

I am a seasoned board member who has participated in the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC) board member program. I was the first Latin American to become chairman of the board of the Project Management Institute globally, where I served for four years. I am also a member of the advisory board of Yera, an Estonian startup dedicated to improving employee performance and engagement through technology and artificial intelligence.

I share my expertise with millions of professionals around the globe through my "5 Minutes Podcast," which I have hosted since 2007 and has reached 12 million views. I've written 16 books on project management, risk and crisis management, and transformation, which have been translated into six languages and sold over half a million copies.

I am a seasoned speaker and have delivered over 250 keynote addresses in 40 countries. My influence on the sector was affirmed when I became the first Latin American to be elected Chairman of the Project Management Institute.

My work as a venture capitalist and entrepreneur in artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, chatbots, and machine learning resulted in tools and products that have revolutionized how users bring agility and agile management into project management software.

More than two decades ago, I founded Macrosolutions, a global consulting firm with international operations in energy, infrastructure, IT, oil, and finance.

Between 2016 and 2020, I envisioned and led the Brightline Initiative, a Project Management Institute think tank in partnership with leading organizations dedicated to helping executives bridge the expensive, unproductive gap between strategy design and delivery.

Before Brightline, I was Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Infrastructure and Project Management Group, leading over 1,000 projects and $1.2 billion in humanitarian and development projects. I was also responsible for the first ESG Report in the UN System, published in 2015.

I have a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering, and a master's degree in Industrial Engineering.

Moving Forward When a Negotiation is Stuck

Ricardo Viana Vargas - 5 Minutes Podcast