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Contract Negotiation Under Pressure: Why People Choose Worse Deals
I have watched smart people agree to bad deals for reasons that had very little to do with the deal itself. They were not stupid. They were afraid.
Conflict Resolution Skills Don’t Matter When People Don’t Feel Understood
How often do you find yourself in an interaction when the other side is far too emotional to reason with? How often does your counterpart just talk...
How to Build Rapport With Your Boss: Managing Up
Why does managing up start with your boss's world, not your case? When I hear “managing up,” my first instinct isn’t to stack arguments, polish a...
From Conflict to Connection: How Tactical Empathy® Rebuilds Parent-Teen Relationships
Marcella's Perspective: Creating Connection Through Curiosity This week, Marcella continues the conversation Black Swan Instructor Sandy Hein...
The Power of Reciprocity: Parenting Lessons from Tactical Empathy®
This is the first publication of a two-part series. Stay tuned for Black Swan Instructor Marcella Oakley’s insights next week. When most people think...
Managing Up with Tactical Empathy®
Start with Their World When I hear “managing up,” my first instinct isn’t to stack arguments, polish a slide deck, or rehearse talking points—it’s to...
The Collaborative Edge: Turning Power Plays into Strategic Partnerships
Negotiations often spiral into power struggles—two sides locked in a contest for control. But the most effective negotiators don’t fight for...
Discovering Black Swans: Turning Everyday Moments into Big Wins
Picking up from where we left off—the hospital room, the nurse, the unexpected rapport. Tone and Tactical Empathy® cracked the door open, but what...
How Tone, Rapport, and Tactical Empathy® Saved My Day at the Hospital on the Recovery Gurney
Waking up from anesthesia is like getting shoved into a world that doesn’t make sense. Sounds are too loud. Lights are too bright. Your own body...
Timing Your Calibrated Question™: How to Use “How Am I Supposed to Do That?” Effectively
"How am I supposed to do that?"—it's one of the most powerful phrases in negotiation, but most people fumble the timing. This Calibrated Question™,...
Leadership: Challenges, Tactical Empathy®, and Avoiding Common Mistakes
Leadershipis inherently challenging. It demands not only the ability to guide but also to inspire others to collaborate and achieve a shared vision....
Stop Chasing 'Yes': The Game-Changing Negotiation Hack You Need to Know
For years, the negotiation world was obsessed with chasing "yes." We’ve been conditioned to believe that every step toward an agreement should be...