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What Hostage Negotiations Taught Me About the Power of Curiosity
You’ve probably walked into a negotiation already convinced you knew the outcome. Maybe you assumed you knew the other side’s position, their...
The Magic Label: "It Seems Like You're Under a Lot of Pressure"
Picture yourself across the table from a counterpart whose very presence is radiating tension. The clenched jaw. The clipped answers. The kind of...
Leadership & The Black Swan Group – Professional Correlations
At first glance, it may seem unusual that former hostage negotiators are teaching leadership strategies to the business world. Yet the correlation...
Price Isn’t Value: How to Negotiate What Actually Matters
When people hear the word “value,” most immediately think of price. I get it—money is concrete. It’s measurable. It shows up on the offer sheet. But...
Why Tone Is the Secret Weapon of Negotiation
Most people expect negotiations to be difficult and attacking. They put their boxing gloves on to gear up for a fight. But here's what immediately...
How to Spot and Avoid False Agreements in Negotiation
I’ve sat across countless tables—boardroom, Zoom grid, even the occasional school cafeteria—where someone fires off a “Yes, let’s do it,” and yet, my...
Bridging the Gap: Using Tactical Empathy® to Neutralize Power in Negotiations
Power imbalances show up in almost every negotiation—but they don’t have to control the outcome. Whether you’re up against a dominant counterpart or...
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 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...