Negotiations Ninja Podcast

How to Appear More Trustworthy through Nonverbal Communication, Throwback with Dr. Abbie Maroño, Ep #446

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to Dr. Abbie Maroño, someone judges whether or not they can trust you within 33 milliseconds of meeting you. Once they’ve made their obse...

Take Command of Your Mindset with Joe Hart, Ep #445

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dale Carnegie is a global training organization with 200 operations in 86 countries. Its instructors teach the Dale Carnegie course following the mode...

What is Your Style Under Stress? Throwback with Joseph Grenny, Ep #444

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you handle stressful conversations? Do you know how you’re likely to react? Do you default to being aggressive or combative? It’s crucial t...

The Right Way to Negotiate with Andreas Winheller, Ep #443

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Is there one right way to negotiate? Is one methodology superior to the other? For the last 30+ years, “Getting to Yes” was the book on nego...

The Key to Negotiating with Different Cultures with Eliane Karsaklian, Ep #442

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every culture has different foundational beliefs. We may recognize the same brands and use the same products worldwide but we behave far differently. ...

How to Gather Stories with Matthew Dicks, Ep #441

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you find the right stories to tell? Matthew Dicks is a phenomenal storyteller. He’s written several novels and non-fiction, including “Stor...

Predictive Procurement with Edmund Zagorin, Ep #440

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of procurement's roles is to achieve cost savings while balancing the needs of the company. Predictive procurement starts with defining things lik...

How Storytelling Increases Credibility per Mark Carpenter, Ep #439

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Logic and rational thinking don’t always work to convince someone to do something. People hear “Storytelling” and think of novels, movies, TV sh...

Emotional vs. Logical Commitments, Throwback with Svitlana Kalitsun, Ep #438

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to tense emotional situations, getting a commitment from the counterparty can be tough. We know that a commitment usually leads to posit...

Lessons Learned from a Failed Negotiation with William Ury, Ep #437

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

William Ury is one of the most well-known—and experienced—names in the field of mediation and negotiation. He’s worked around the globe in every...

Communicating through Disagreements, Throwback with Debra Roberts, Ep #436

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If a conversation with an employee has become a disagreement and you can’t seem to work through it, what do you do? Communicating through disagreeme...

How Mario Martinez Negotiated a $46 Million Deal, Ep #435

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mario Martinez—the CEO of Vengreso and the host of the Modern Selling podcast—negotiated a 46-million-dollar deal when he worked for Sprint. How...

Is Empathy the Key to Successful Crisis Negotiation? Throwback with Dr. Andy Young, Ep #434

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Andy Young has over 20 years of experience in crisis negotiation. While every scenario he encounters dictates a different approach, there’s one ...

Are You an Unconsciously Incompetent Negotiator? Keld Jensen Weighs In, Ep #433

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why are most negotiators unconsciously incompetent? Keld lives and breathes negotiation. He’s been negotiating since 1998. Before that, he was the C...

Jeanette Nyden Uncomplicates Scope of Work, Throwback, Ep # 432

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Scope of work clauses aren’t technically complex or complicated. But they’re where people repeatedly make mistakes. Jeanette starts by making sure...

Anchoring in High-Stakes Negotiations with Justin Michael, Ep #431

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why should you utilize anchoring? How do you anchor a deal? How early in the negotiation should you do it? After 20+ years in sales—and extensive re...

How to Argue Precedent in Negotiations, Throwback with Joel Trachtman, Ep #430

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever heard a counterpart say, “This is how we’ve always done it” when they don’t want to make a change? How can you help them move be...

Buying a Vineyard: Negotiating the Intangibles with James Cluer, Ep #429

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you negotiate the purchase of a vineyard or winery? What intangibles do you need to consider? According to James Cluer, vineyards hold differen...

What Do You Do When You Trigger Reactance? Throwback with David Hoffeld, Ep #428

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In episode #309, the CEO and Chief Sales Trainer at the Hoffeld Group, David Hoffeld, dives into how to leverage social proof to your benefit. David a...

Mastering the Value Sale with Ian Campbell, Ep #427

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Where does value fit in the sales funnel? How do you structure your value proposition? The value discussion is often the most difficult conversation f...

Negotiation Training in Wartime, Throwback with Mark Lowther, Ep #426

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Lowther was a SWAT Crisis/Hostage Negotiator and is currently an international instructor for negotiation. He spent time in Ukraine in 2022, teac...

Finding Success by Being Customer-Obsessed with Alex Yakubovich and Stan Garber, Ep #425

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What have Alex Yakubovich and Stan Garber learned from founding and successfully exiting their own companies? Being customer-obsessed is the key to su...

How Body Language Can Reveal Lies, Throwback with Susan Ibitz, Ep #424

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Depp vs. Heard trial garnered media attention for months in 2022. Ultimately, Heard was found guilty of defamation and the jury awarded Depp $15 m...

Navigating the World of SaaS Renewal Negotiations with Adam Mansfield, Ep #423

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you prepare for SaaS renewal negotiations? How can strategic enterprise customers deploy and help increase their negotiation leverage? Adam Man...

Rags-to-Riches: Shaahin Cheyene’s Rise to Millionaire, Ep #422

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Shaahin Cheyene, the founder and president of Accelerated Intelligence, is known for being an Amazon Guru. He’s spent the last two decades helping o...

Tackling Buyer Requests with Hamish Knox, Ep #421

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when a buyer makes a request? It can be easy to quickly say, “Sure, I’ll do that,” and give them whatever they want. However, Ham...

How to Balance IQ and EQ in Negotiation, Throwback with Joanna Shea, Ep #420

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How you perceive value will always be different than how a seller sees it. They’re emotionally attached to the companies they’ve built. But you ha...

The Impact of Identity on Negotiation per Enda Young, Ep #419

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The cost of workplace conflict in Northern Ireland (with a population of 1.9 million people) is almost 1 billion pounds per year. Those costs are ...

Barter Your Way to an Agreement, Throwback with Brian Gunia, Ep #418

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is the difference between bargaining and bartering? What mistakes do people make in the bartering process? Why does Brian Gunia view negotiation ...

Donald Kelly’s LinkedIn Prospecting Process, Ep #417

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Are salespeople doing prospecting all wrong? Are the days of cold-calling and emailing officially over? Is there a better way? Donald Kelly—also k...

How to Make Negotiations Second Nature, Throwback with Julia Ewert, Ep #416

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Negotiations can become second nature through diligent practice and honing of your skills. But what are the necessary skills you need to focus on? Acc...

Nobody’s Fool with Chris Chabris, Ep #415

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why are people so easily misinformed or manipulated? In hindsight, it’s easy to question “How did that fool me?” But when you’re “in it” y...

When Taking Risks Transforms Your Career, Throwback with Patrick Tinney, Ep #414

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you differentiate yourself as a salesperson? Patrick Tinney believes taking risks might be the key to being an above average salesperson. Patri...

Developing Internal Sales & Negotiation Coaches with Steve Benson, Ep #413

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can sales managers help their teams be better negotiators? How can you develop internal coaches who can help their team members improve their sale...

The Biggest Problem with Procurement Data, Throwback with Susan Walsh, Ep #412

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to Susan Walsh, “The quality of your data determines the quality of your negotiation.” Procurement professionals need a classification s...

Resolving Conflict Begins with Self-Awareness According to Ryan Dunlap, Ep #411

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Self-confidence and self-control in conflict are difficult things to master. And you can’t resolve conflict with others until you learn to resolve c...

Negotiating with Artificial Intelligence, Throwback with Martin Rand, Ep #410

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2020, we had a conversation about how AI could positively impact negotiations. Now, three years later, artificial intelligence is front and center,...

J. Paul Nadeau’s PIER Negotiation Framework, Ep #409

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Nadeau is a former hostage negotiator, international peacekeeper, and interrogator. During this time, he learned a lot about how the human mind w...

Overcoming Information Asymmetry in Negotiation, Throwback with Simon Rycraft, Ep #408

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Information asymmetry occurs when one side has more information than the other. In any negotiation, each side has more knowledge than the other in spe...

5 Ways to Get, Stay, and Act in Front of Clients with Glenn Poulos, Ep #407

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you build rapport with clients? How do you be someone who’s a pleasure to do business with? How do you employ active listening? How do you ge...

How to Stand Out in B2B Sales, Throwback with Anthony Iannarino, Ep #406

26 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you stand out in B2B sales? You stand out by one-upping your customers by learning what you need to know about them. You will always know som...

How to Negotiate Your Salary with Confidence with Kelli Thompson, Ep #405

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do women hesitate to negotiate? How do you prep, practice, and make your ask? How do you determine your unique value proposition? Leadership and C...

Finding Everyday Opportunities to Negotiate, Throwback with Suzanne de Janasz, Ep #404

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Most people miss everyday opportunities to negotiate. Many of us are psychologically wired to accept things as they are. We don’t try to negotiate b...

Stoicism in Negotiation with Doug Witten, Ep #403

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is stoicism? What is its background and context? How can the philosophical lessons of stoicism be applied to negotiation? According to Doug Witte...

Combating Procurement Vulnerabilities, Throwback with Rich Ham, Ep #402

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Because the growth of procurement teams in organizations isn’t prioritized, they’re being taken advantage of. Expense management and the developme...

The Life and Work of Roger Dawson as told by Gisela Dawson, Ep #401

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Roger Dawson was an amazing negotiation professional, prolific author, the founder of the Power Negotiation Institute, and someone that I thought of v...

IP Clauses Simplified with Jeanette Nyden and Lawrence Kane, Ep #400

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Intellectual property is an asset. It can be a trademark, trade secrets, copyrights, patents, and more. Whoever designed—or developed—these assets...

Donald Kelly’s Platinum Rule of Sales Negotiations, Ep #399

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you find out what a buyer likes, needs, and wants from the outcome of a sale? How do you get to the root of the problem? Once you discover thei...

How to Ask for What You’re Worth, Throwback with Fotini Iconomopoulos, Ep #398

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know what you’re worth? How do you ask for what you’re worth? Salary negotiations are tricky to navigate. Luckily, Fotini Iconomopoulos...

Understanding the Role of Gender in Negotiations with Beth Fisher-Yoshida, Ep #397

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is the role of gender in negotiations? What narratives influence negotiations? Sometimes, we forget that we have agency in how we negotiate. As ...

The Secret Life of a Spy, Throwback with Jack Barsky, Ep #396

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone loves a good spy movie, right? The intrigue, the danger, the mystery…it’s fascinating. In this special throwback episode of Negotiations ...

Tim Castle’s H.U.M.A.N. Approach to Negotiation, Ep #395

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Castle—a sales coach, professional development coach, and best-selling author—embraces an unusual approach in his negotiations. His H.U.M.A.N....

Influence is A Way of Life, Throwback with Brian Ahearn, Ep #394

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to Brian Ahearn, influence is a way of life. Embracing the principles of influence— reciprocity, commitment or consistency, consensus or s...

Commercial vs Community Negotiation with Nokukhanya Nox Ntuli, Ep #393

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Multiparty and multi-stakeholder negotiations are complex. Community negotiation is even more so. The process is mind-boggling. And it’s one that ...

Trust is a Luxury, Throwback with Dan Oblinger and Allan Tsang, Ep #392

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Dan Oblinger and Allan Tsang’s book, “Negotiation Mythbusters: Rethinking Everything You Know About Building Strong Agreements,” they dissect...

Chris Hadnagy’s 7 Principles of Elicitation, Ep #391

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we went back 15 years and looked up “Social Engineering,” it was defined as something malicious and manipulative. But as Chris Hadnagy studied ...

Calculating the Value of Liquidated Damages, Throwback with Jeanette Nyden, Ep #390

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you calculate the value of liquidated damages? What do you ask for? How do you know what something is worth? According to contract expert Jean...

How to Use Emotional Intelligence Like a Hostage Negotiator with Derek Gaunt, Ep #389

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that the principles a hostage negotiator uses to negotiate with a hostage-taker can be applied to leadership? It seems far-fetched, I kno...

Virtual Sales Mastery, Throwback with Steve Brossman, Ep #388

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

So much of the sales world has moved online because of the Covid pandemic. But even before that, virtual sales were becoming more prevalent. Now, it’...

Master Difficult Negotiations with Matthias Schranner, Ep #387

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matthias Schranner specializes in especially difficult negotiations, those that you can’t simply win with preparation and a good argument. Coming to...

How to Navigate Indemnity Clauses, Throwback with Jeanette Nyden, Ep #386

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is an indemnity clause? Why do companies have indemnity clauses? What do contract professionals need to be aware of? Jeanette Nyden has spent the...

The Mindset Shift Successful Salespeople Make with Douglas Cole, Ep #385

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do most sales books get wrong? What levers of influence are necessary to move people in your direction? What is the mindset shift required to mov...

Negotiating Labor Categories with Rich Hamm & Matt Smith, Ep #384

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you focus on when negotiating labor categories? People often leave money on the table because they prioritize convenience. But what they shoul...

The Power of Understanding with Christine Miles, Ep #383

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is it costing you to not listen? Over time, when you stop listening, it erodes your relationships. It might be at work, it might be at home, but ...

The Interrogation Conversation is about Communication, Throwback with Michael Reddinton, Ep #382

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Interrogations get a bad name but the truth is an interrogation conversation is about one thing: communication. How? You need to communicate effective...

Leverage P3 Selling to Improve B2B Sales Success with Greg Nutter, Ep #381

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Greg Nutter write “P3 Selling: The Essentials of B2B Sales Success?” What are the key concepts? How can they help B2B sellers be more succ...

Things to Avoid in Divorce Negotiations, Throwback with Rebecca Zung, Ep #380

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s say you’re navigating a tricky divorce. Tensions are high and there’s a lot at stake. You don’t want to make mistakes that could change ...

Why Procurement Should Focus on Supplier Relationships with Dr. Charlotte de Brabandt, Ep #379

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Charlotte de Brabandt has been in procurement for 14 years and worked in five different industries on three different continents. During this time...

Three Things that are Critical to Successful Negotiations, Throwback with Richard Ham, Ep #378

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What three things are critical to successful negotiations? Richard Ham believes that you must do three things: Master the subject matter: You need al...

Selling with Authentic Persuasion with Jason Cutter, Ep #377

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is authentic persuasion? How do salespeople employ authentic persuasion to make sales and consistently meet their quota? What kind of mindset shi...

Blending Eastern and Western Negotiation Styles with Mala Subramaniam, Throwback Ep #376

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What are the main differences between Eastern and Western approaches to negotiation? If you approach a negotiation with an Eastern counterpart taking ...

Conquer Your Fear of Self-Advocacy with Jamie Lee, Ep #375

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is the mindset shift that needs to happen for you to embrace self-advocacy? Why is it important to nail down the value you’re providing and t...

3 Questions to Ask to Drive Value in Negotiation, Throwback with Stephen Kozicki, Ep #374

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What do you need to do to drive value in negotiation? Stephen Kozicki has nailed down three questions you have to ask:  What are we asking them to d...

Mastering Mediation Preparation with Amy Mariani Ep #373

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What should mediation preparation look like? How do you select the best mediator for your case? How do you make the most of a mandatory negotiation sh...

How to Develop Cultural Awareness, Throwback with Mark Davis, Ep #372

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

According to Mark Davis, “Culture at its very nature is pervasive in all negotiation and, in fact, it should be a framework through which you can ov...

Negotiating with Germanic People with Mihai Isman, Ep #371

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are all countries that speak German. And though they speak the same language, each has a unique culture and negotiat...

The Dos and Don’ts of Written Negotiation, Throwback with Giuseppe Conti, Ep #370

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Negotiating via email, text, social media, Zoom, or any other virtual way of communication is tricky, at best. A written conversation doesn’t allow ...

The Root of Customer Indecision per Matt Dixon, Ep #369

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do customers decide not to do something? How can you overcome customer indecision? How do you move someone past “maybe” and “I’ll think ab...

Dissecting Cyberterrorism Negotiation, Throwback with Cal Chrustie, Ep #368

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cyberterrorism is becoming prevalent. Highly intelligent criminals associated with cartels and sovereign nations like North Korea, China, Russia, etc....

How to Negotiate with Goliaths with Christine McKay, Ep #367

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You’re a small organization about to enter a negotiation with a large company. You’re prepared to go in and sign the contract because simply doing...

Influence Begins with Emotional Rapport, Throwback with Sean Callagy, Ep #366

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Influence is powerful. But how do you become influential? It seems like a far more difficult task, right? Sean Callagy—a successful attorney, speake...

How to Overcome Collywobbles with Moshe Cohen, Ep #365

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans are primarily emotional. We bring fears into our negotiations. If we push too hard, we might get nothing. If we antagonize the other party, the...

Moving Procurement Toward Digital Transformation, Throwback with Michael van Keulen, Ep #364

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Michael van Keulen (MVK) has worked in procurement and finance for over 20 years. Over those years he’s seen companies resist digital transformation...

The Infinite Game in Negotiation with Dr. Josh Weiss, Ep #363

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When people think of negotiation—especially in Western cultures—they often think in finite terms. In a finite game, the rules are fixed until ther...

The Limitation of Liability Clause Simplified, Throwback with Jeanette Nyden, Ep #362

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why does the limitation of liability clause exist? How does it work? Is there a way you can simplify the process of building it out in the negotiation...

Why Your BATNA is the Key to Negotiation Planning with George Siedel, Ep #361

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

George Siedel—a Professor at the University of Michigan—wrote a great book called, “Negotiating for Success: Essential Strategies and Skills,”...

Ask and You’ll Receive, Throwback with Jean-Nicolas Reyt, Ep #360

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jean-Nicolas Reyt—a negotiation professor at McGill University—teaches his students a simple and practical way to negotiate: Ask and you’ll rece...

The Cost of Not Listening in Negotiation with Christine Miles, Ep #359

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it cost people and organizations not to listen? Are you solving the wrong problems? Or worse, are you losing relationships, customers, and p...

The End Result of Negotiating, Throwback with Jean-Nicolas Reyt, Ep #358

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do young people hesitate to negotiate? They need to be able to advocate for themselves, yet many hesitate to speak up. Jean-Nicolas Reyt, an assis...

Relationship-Building Might Just be the Key to Successful Negotiations per Romina Muhametaj, Ep #357

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How important is relationship-building in negotiations? Can you have a relationship yet still be direct without negatively impacting said relationship...

Be Ready, Relatable, and Reasonable in Negotiation (Throwback with Lynn Price) Ep #356

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you approach a negotiation, you need to be ready, relatable, and reasonable. You have to be ready—do your research so that nothing surprises yo...

The Introvert’s Edge = Processes with Matthew Pollard, Ep #355

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matthew Pollard wrote “The Introvert’s Edge” to help the average introvert learn that their path to success will look different than an extrover...

The Dos and Don’ts of Negotiating with Narcissists, Throwback with Rebecca Zung, Ep #354

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that 1% of the population could be diagnosed as a narcissist? We’ve all likely interacted with someone who we’d classify as a narciss...

Nikki Rausch’s Strategy to Overcome the Fear of Rejection, Ep #353

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nikki Rausch “The Sales Maven” teaches salespeople how to have more effective sales conversations while maintaining rapport and keeping the relati...

Tactics to Get What You Want (Throwback with Simon Rycraft), Ep #352

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you get what you want in a negotiation? How do you be more persuasive? Simon Rycraft wrote “Negotiation Hacks: Expert Tactics To Get What You...

Combating Fear with Courage with Mala Subramaniam, Ep #351

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you combat fear with courage? How does your ego build walls in negotiations? And why, when you’re in a negotiation, should you only say somet...

Want to Win More Deals? Be Likable (Throwback with Joe Valley), Ep #350

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Joe Valley is a serial entrepreneur and partner at Quiet Light Brokerage. He’s also an expert at building sellable companies. He’s also learned th...

5 Ways to Use Elicitation in Negotiation with Jack Shafer, Ep #349

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Shafer spent much of his career in counterintelligence in the FBI. In this episode of Negotiations Ninja, we’ll discuss topics from Jack’s ne...

Mastering Personal Negotiations, Throwback with Deborah Kolb, Ep #348

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you excel when you’re negotiating for your company but struggle to negotiate successfully for yourself? Is it because you lack clarity on exactly...

Contract Redlining Etiquette with Nada Alnajafi, Ep #347

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you use a contract to drive negotiations forward? How can redlines help you save time? What is the importance of internal alignment to contract...