Kwame Christian, Director of the American Negotiation Institute and seasoned business lawyer, shares his expertise in negotiation and conflict resolution. He introduces the compassionate curiosity framework for effective dialogue, stressing the need to acknowledge emotions and approach problems collaboratively. Kwame emphasizes the value of preparation and leads listeners through strategies for discussing sensitive topics, especially in the workplace. He highlights the importance of reframing mindsets during challenging conversations and offers practical advice for fostering understanding.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Negotiating in a Pandemic
Acknowledge the pandemic and the difficult economic situation.
Focus on opportunities, your skills, and market value, rather than just risks.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Preparing for Sensitive Conversations
Prepare for difficult conversations about sensitive topics like race or politics by considering your goals and potential responses.
Use resources like Kwame Christian's free negotiation guides to help structure these conversations.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Mediating Conflicts Effectively
When mediating conflicts, use shuttle diplomacy: speak to each party individually first to understand their perspectives and goals.
Identify areas of potential agreement or "the deal" before bringing the parties together.
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How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!
Kwame Christian
Kwame Christian: Negotiate Anything
Kwame Christian is the Director of the American Negotiation Institute and business lawyer at Carlile Patchen & Murphy. His popular TED talk is titled Finding Confidence in Conflict.
Today, he’s working extensively with organizations to help them improve their skills on negotiation and conflict resolution. Kwame hosts the top negotiation podcast, Negotiate Anything and is the author of the book Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life*.
Key Points
Use the compassionate curiosity framework:
Acknowledge and validate emotions
Get curious with compassion
Joint problem solving
If a difficult situation needs to be discussed, giving a heads up to the other party in advance helps them to work through the initial, emotional reaction and reset for a more productive conversation.
Separating conversations about the content or service being offered from the deal itself can be useful to focus energy in the right places at the right time. This is especially useful for creative folks or those who might be highly sensitive to negotiations.
When dealing with someone who is not behaving well, use the phrase “The problem is…” as a transition point that provides you more agency in the conversation.
Resources Mentioned
Free Negotiation Guides from Kwame
Negotiate Anything podcast
Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life* by Kwame Christian
Book Notes
Download my highlights from Finding Confidence in Conflict in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth, with Chris Hadfield (episode 149)
The Way to Have Conversations That Matter, with Celeste Headlee (episode 344)
How to Find Confidence in Conflict, with Kwame Christian (episode 380)
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