01 Jul 459: Finding Confidence in Conflict – How to Negotiate Anything (Including With Yourself!) An Interview with Negotiation Expert, Attorney & Bestselling Author – Kwame Christian
What if one of the most important skills for your next chapter isn’t leadership, strategy, or even communication?
What if it’s negotiation?
Before you tune out because you’re not buying a company, negotiating a contract, or haggling over a house price… stick with us.
In this powerful conversation, Mitch sits down with negotiation expert, attorney, bestselling author, and host of the Negotiate Anything podcast, Kwame Christian, to unpack a game-changing truth:
Negotiation is any conversation where someone wants something.
In other words… you’re negotiating every single day.
Whether you’re leading a team, navigating a career transition, setting boundaries, building a business, mentoring others, launching something new, or figuring out what’s next in this season of life… negotiation is already shaping your results.
But here’s what makes this conversation especially important for DREAM THINK DO listeners:
Kwame didn’t become an expert because negotiation came naturally to him. In fact, he describes himself as a lifelong people pleaser who struggled with conflict and self-advocacy for years. What changed everything was realizing that confidence in difficult conversations isn’t a personality trait—it’s a skill that can be learned.
And as the conversation unfolds, you’ll discover that the most important negotiations may not be the ones you have with other people.
They may be the ones you have with yourself.
If you’ve ever found yourself holding back, avoiding difficult conversations, questioning your value, or wondering whether you’re ready for your next step… this episode will meet you right where you are.
It’s practical. It’s encouraging. And it’s packed with tools you can start using immediately.
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➤ What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
1. Why Negotiation Is Bigger Than You Think
Kwame shares his simple but powerful definition of negotiation and explains why most people miss opportunities simply because they don’t recognize they’re already negotiating.
You’ll discover:
- Why negotiations happen far more often at home than in boardrooms
- How everyday conversations become opportunities to build influence
- Why relationship-based negotiations matter more than high-stakes business deals
- How seeing negotiation everywhere turns life into a practice field
2. The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
One of the most powerful ideas in the episode is learning to approach difficult conversations like a scientist rather than a warrior.
Kwame explains:
- Why “everything is practice”
- How curiosity helps you stay out of fight-or-flight mode
- What great negotiators do differently when conversations get hard
- Why emotional intelligence is the hidden superpower behind influence
3. The Three Skills Behind Every Great Negotiator
After interviewing thousands of experts and hosting more than 1,800 podcast episodes, Kwame discovered that exceptional negotiators consistently rely on just three core skills:
- Listening
- Curiosity
- Emotional management
You’ll learn:
- Why these skills matter more than tactics
- How to recognize the moments when they become hardest to use
- Why mastering the basics often produces extraordinary results
4. Kwame’s “Compassion & Curiosity” Framework
Kwame breaks down the simple three-step model he teaches leaders and organizations around the world:
- Acknowledge and validate emotions
- Get curious with compassion
- Solve problems together
You’ll hear practical examples of:
- What to do when emotions are running high
- How to lower tension without giving up your position
- Why empathy is often the fastest path to progress
- How to create collaboration instead of conflict
➤ Spotlight Moments
- Kwame shares the surprising story of how being a people pleaser led him into the world of negotiation.
- Mitch and Kwame explore why parenting might be the ultimate negotiation training ground.
- A fascinating discussion on why the best negotiators don’t do the right thing until it gets hard – they do the right thing until it works.
- Kwame reveals the three skills that sit underneath nearly every successful conversation.
- The duo begins exploring an often-overlooked challenge: negotiating with yourself when fear, doubt, or uncertainty show up.
➤ Key Quotes
“The best things in life are on the other side of difficult conversations.”
“It’s not a question of whether you’re negotiating. It’s a question of whether you’re doing it well.”
“Everything becomes practice.”
“The great negotiators do the right thing until it works. The novice negotiators do the right thing until it gets hard.”
“Become a better listener. Become more curious. Become better at managing emotions.”
➤ About Kwame Christian
Kwame Christian is the founder of the American Negotiation Institute, a practicing attorney, bestselling author, speaker, mediator, and host of the highly ranked Negotiate Anything podcast.
Through his work, Kwame has helped Fortune 100 organizations, leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams develop the skills needed to navigate difficult conversations, resolve conflict, build stronger relationships, and negotiate with confidence.
His mission is simple but powerful:
To make the world a better place – one difficult conversation at a time.
➤ Resources & Links
- Check out Mitch’s interview on Negotiate Anything: CLICK HERE
- Organization: American Negotiation Institute
➤ Why This Episode Matters
Many DREAM THINK DO listeners are in a season where they’re asking bigger questions:
- Is there more for me?
- What’s next?
- How do I use what I’ve learned to make a greater impact?
- How do I advocate for myself without becoming someone I’m not?
This conversation offers a powerful reminder:
You don’t need to become more aggressive.
You don’t need to become someone else.
You simply need the confidence and skill to step into the conversations that matter.
Because chances are…
The next opportunity, breakthrough, partnership, promotion, client, business, or dream you’re pursuing is waiting on the other side of a conversation.
➤ Call to Action
Let’s make this practical.
👉 What’s one conversation you’ve been avoiding that might deserve your attention?
👉 Where could you replace certainty with curiosity this week?
👉 Which of Kwame’s three core skills – listening, curiosity, or emotional management – would make the biggest difference in your life right now?
Pick one. Take one small step.
Because as Kwame reminds us, the best things in life are often waiting on the other side of a difficult conversation.
And hey… if someone came to mind while listening to this episode, send it to them. Then grab coffee and talk about it together.
You never know what might happen when compassion, curiosity, and courage show up in the same conversation.
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