Negotiate Anything Caught Off Guard? The Secret to Bouncing Back in Tough Negotiations
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Apr 29, 2025 
Join Dr. Therese Huston, a cognitive scientist and author of 'Sharp', as she delves into the mind's response to surprise negotiations. She discusses how mental flexibility is essential for navigating unexpected hurdles, emphasizing emotional intelligence and curiosity. Dr. Huston shares practical techniques for maintaining composure, including a structured breathing exercise to combat stress. Listeners learn to reframe their emotional responses, transforming challenges into strategic advantages for successful negotiations.
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Stuck Teaching the Tough Course
- Therese Huston struggled teaching a statistics course that everyone dreaded, including herself.
- She felt stuck teaching it after her manager said no rotation until a new hire, which demoralized her.
Coach Yourself When Surprised
- When surprised, remind yourself you have handled tough negotiations before.
- Show curiosity to uncover what parts of a problem others want to avoid and negotiate accordingly.
Brain Under Surprise and Stress
- Surprise and anxiety suppress the prefrontal cortex, reducing working memory and strategy capacity.
- Amygdala activation triggers fight, flight, or freeze responses, making reasoning and adaptability difficult.
