Clarity On Fire

If you’re a compassionate, sensitive, people-pleasing-type person who hates rocking the boat, then the very idea of negotiation is probably nausea-inducing at best, and horrifically impossible at worst. (And even for those of us with thick skin, it’s still awkward as hell!). A lot of us think, “What’s the point of asking for what I really want if I have to be someone I’m not—pushy, aggressive, selfish, demanding—in order to get it?” Well, that’s why we asked Devon Smiley to come on the podcast. She’s a Negotiation Consultant (yes, that’s a real job!) with 15 years of experience and $5 billion in contracts negotiated! She’s also a genuinely warm, upbeat person who proves that you don’t have to be an a-hole in order to get what you want. We asked Devon: What are the most common hang-ups people have around negotiation? What’s getting in our way? What does negotiation even mean? (Her answer is SO not what you think it is). How does being a woman change the way you negotiate, for better or worse? How do people pl