
Magic Phrase: Your offer is very generous... I'm sorry, I'm afraid I just can't do that
The Art of the Gentle No In my decades of experience negotiating high-stakes situations, I've learned that the most powerful moments often come not...

The Unseen Advantage: Mindset, Timing, and Tone in Everyday Negotiation
People think negotiation is about pushing hard, flexing status, or tossing around credentials like confetti. This story isn’t that. This is about...

From Rapport to Influence: Building Trust in Negotiations
When I think about effective negotiation, I often break it down into two critical phases: building rapport and establishing influence. But what...

Power Perceptions in Negotiations: Defuse, Balance, and Gain Trust
Power in negotiation isn’t about control. It’s about perception. And when you mishandle those perceptions, things go sideways—fast. Misread cues,...

How to Let Someone Down Without Destroying the Relationship
Letting someone down is one of the hardest conversations we face. Whether it’s in business, leadership, healthcare, or family life—most people dread...

When Silence Isn’t Golden: How to Handle the Silent Treatment in Negotiation
When Silence Shows Up, Pay Attention There’s a moment in every tough negotiation when it gets quiet. I mean, awkwardly, maddeningly,...

“It seems like something just crossed your mind” - A Magic Wand Phrase
How to read between the lines is really how to investigate between the lines. The power of observational intelligence is driven by curiosity, and not...

How Not to Use Email (If You Care About Better Negotiations)
When I hear the phrase “how not to use email”, what immediately comes to mind is this: too many people are relying on what feels like a security...

Effective Listening as a Lever for Power Dynamics
Listening is a Super Power in Negotiation Power in negotiations is often assumed to belong to the party with greater authority, resources, or...

How I Negotiated Ice Cream Out of a “No Substitutions” Menu - A Lesson in Possibility
How a Dinner Plan Turned Into a Negotiation Challenge It started as a simple idea—an intimate dinner for 10 to kick off an EOS Mastery Cohort in San...

Bargaining vs. Negotiation: Why Good Negotiators Never Need to Bargain
Negotiating and Bargaining are often thought of as the same thing. From the Black Swan perspective, they are drastically different. And if you want...

Thou Shalt Not Split The Difference: 7 Reasons Why
You left Black Swans (hidden opportunities) on the table You build in a downward spiral You hurt the relationship It’s bad for your prosperity long...