Podcast
All Things Negotiation
Hosted by Stan Christensen · EN
A podcast about negotiation, persuasion, and influence—taught through real stories.
Hosted by Stan Christensen, who has taught negotiation at Stanford University for over 20 years, this bi-weekly podcast features founders, executives, investors, and foreign policy experts sharing real-world negotiation experiences.
Episodes explore how leaders negotiate with venture capitalists, employees, customers, boards, and governments—and what actually works when the stakes are high.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to Have Difficult Conversations with Sheila Heen
1w ago00:55:52Tap to summarizeStan interviews longtime friend and Harvard professor Sheila Heen about why difficult conversations derail and how to handle them more effectively.They discuss the “hero/villain/victim” stories people tell when frustrated, how smart people can listen poorly by focusing on what’s wrong, and why many conflicts are “switch-track” disagreements where each person thinks the conversation is about something different. The conversation also covers political polarization, complex identities, and Heen’s course on negotiating money, wealth, happiness, and meaning.00:00 Intro03:06 What Makes Talks Hard04:30 Avoidance And Timing06:53 Family Conversation Traps08:54 Hero Villain Victim10:06 Respond To Feelings12:40 Switch Track Conversations14:25 Empathy Versus Assertion18:04 Loss19:43 Intent Versus Impact20:33 Comment Dilemma23:15 Intent/Impact Lesson27:34 Beyond Blame To Contribution29:50 Identity Fuels Polarization33:00 Antidotes To Political Divide34:50 Marriage Conflicts That Persist38:41 Negotiating Money And Self Worth42:36 Money Talks For Couples49:01 Lifestyle Creep And Meaning51:57 Lightning Round Conversation Tools54:58 Resources And FarewellCheck out Sheila at: https://www.stoneandheen.com/training-consultingBuy Her Book: https://www.stoneandheen.com/Host Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Negotiating the New Cold War with China
3w ago00:51:40Tap to summarizeChina expert Rush Doshi explains how the US should negotiate and compete with China amid deep mutual distrust and differing views of intentions. Rush Doshi is regarded as one of the leading voices on US policy toward China, and he argues that China’s strategy shifts with its perception of American power—ebbing and flowing with the state of US policy decisions.Stan and Rush discuss his insight from being in a key figure in the rooms of prior negotiations and how that shapes his view of the current state of US policies: what works and what doesn't.Rush points out the key weakness the US has when squaring up to China on the international stage, but he also shares what the US can do to win the competition.Check out Rush's book: https://www.rushdoshi.com/thelonggame01:41 China Reads US Power03:00 From Biding Time To Boldness04:16 Why Beijing Feels Confident05:11 Managing Distrustful Talks08:14 Biden Era Negotiation Phases10:06 Trade War And Rare Earth Shock13:58 Strategic Versus Tactical Bargaining16:30 Scale Decides Great Powers21:53 Allied Scale As The Answer24:08 Using Leverage With Allies25:24 Tariffs After Court Ruling25:51 Allied Scale For Minerals27:33 Sticks Versus Strategy28:03 Domestic Politics And Blowback30:45 Distraction And Strategic Opportunity32:13 Taiwan Policy In Flux34:22 Chips Deals And Credibility37:27 Strategic Ambiguity And Stability41:07 Managed Competition Framework46:08 Russia Ukraine And China48:12 Making The Case At Home50:27 Congress And Closing ThoughtsHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Sal Khan on AI, Education, and the Future of Work
Apr 2100:50:23Tap to summarizeSal Khan reflects on growing Khan Academy from tutoring cousins in 2004 into a nonprofit serving nearly 200 million registered users across 50+ languages with 350 staff, driven by a mission of free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Sal shares how he negotiated with himself and his collaborators to keep Khan Academy a non-profit organization that's mission-driven. He dives into the most prominent issues facing education today including systemic problems inherited from the incumbents in the space, as well as new challenges and opportunities being ushered in with the rise of AI technology. Check out schoolhouse.world. http://schoolhouse.world/Please consider donating to Khan Academyhttp://khanacademy.org/donate 00:00 Khan Academy Scale00:27 Why It Became An Institution02:05 Origin Story Tutoring Cousins04:15 Money Versus Mission06:51 Why Stay Nonprofit09:52 Working With School Systems12:52 Winning Teacher Trust15:58 District Negotiations And Privacy19:09 OpenAI Outreach And GPT-4 Demo22:10 Building Conmigo AI Tutor23:39 Beyond Tutoring Writing And Cheating24:03 AI Writing Coach Workflow24:50 Assessing Soft Skills26:27 Next Gen Standardized Tests26:56 Scaling Durable Skills Training28:20 Why He Wrote Brave New Words32:50 Rethinking What Schools Teach33:26 Who Sets Curriculum Signals37:13 Job Shock and Automation Fears39:28 Who Pays for Reskilling43:20 Screen Time and Healthy Tech45:18 Can Khan Reduce Inequality47:28 Global Impact Stories Wrap UpHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Robert O'brien: An Insider's View on How Trump Actually Negotiates
Apr 100:35:50Tap to summarizeFormer Trump Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs and National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien discusses behind-the-scenes negotiation lessons from hostage cases and major foreign-policy deals. O’Brien describes his approach as implementing President Trump’s decisions, crediting that alignment for successes including the Abraham Accords. He gives a candid look at what operations inside the Trump administration looks like. Robert and Stan weigh the merits and perils of Trump's personal negotiating style and the effects it might have on the U.S standing in the world.00:00 Trump Negotiation Style00:26 Meet Robert OBrien01:39 ASAP Rocky Case03:30 Tough Talk With Sweden05:27 From Hostages To NSA07:27 Abraham Accords Breakthrough10:59 Kushner And Internal Pushback12:07 West Bank Red Line14:25 Maximalism And Greenland17:35 Unpredictability And Kissinger19:48 Taiwan And China Strategy21:55 Allies And Burden Sharing24:38 Soleimani And Syria Deal27:51 Erdogan And Long Term Ties31:17 Negotiation Skills And UnityHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Fareed Zakaria: Navigating a World of Rising Powers and Shifting Alliances
Mar 1200:46:16Tap to summarizeIn this conversation with Fareed Zakaria, the discussion centers on negotiation as the core of foreign policy and the danger of confusing tactical success with strategic clarity. Zakaria weighs in on the U.S conflict in Iran and shares a dire warning about how it could affect U.S negotiations for years to come. Stan and Fareed discuss a wide range of bilateral relationships and the potential risk of an “imperial trap” we might be falling into as we erode trust and the post-1945 order.Check out Fareed on his podcast:https://www.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/fareed-zakaria-gpsAnd CNN: https://podcasts.apple.com/iq/podcast/fareed-zakaria-gps/id37778509000:00 Tactics vs Strategy01:33 Iran Talks Undermined03:46 Israel US Goals Diverge06:00 Iraq Lessons and Aims08:20 Pressuring Israel12:25 China Reads the Signals15:11 Tariffs and Trust18:01 Allies and Supply Chains21:55 India and Turkey23:11 Turkey Drifts Westward23:59 Pressuring Putin to Talk25:43 Both Sides and Overreach28:50 Norms Versus Guardrails32:00 Why Congress Stays Silent35:35 Can GOP Reclaim Reagan38:03 Democrats and Culture Wars42:10 Great Negotiators and WrapHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Jenna Nicholas: Negotiating For Purpose And Profit
Feb 2400:45:36Tap to summarizeIn this podcast episode, Stan welcomes investor and CEO Jenna Nicholas to discuss the growing inflection point where financial performance aligns with social and environmental impact. They explore Nicholas’s book, "The Enlightened Bottom Line: Exploring the Intersection of Spirituality, Business and Investing," including her motivation to interview investors and business leaders about transformational moments, values, and legacy. Nicholas shares case studies such as Patagonia’s Holdfast Collective structure to perpetuate environmental impact, Panera’s COVID-era partnership to provide school lunches through USDA support, and companies like Devoted Health and Barry-Wehmiller that connect trust and empathy to business performance. Check out Jenna's book at: https://www.jenna-nicholas.com/00:00 Impact Investing Inflection00:57 Negotiation Lessons Revisited01:48 Why Write The Book04:26 Patagonia And Panera Stories07:33 HEAL Framework Explained08:15 ESG Goes Mainstream14:46 Convincing The Skeptics17:00 Trust Purpose And Performance19:39 Spirituality At Work23:13 Embedding Values In Culture25:21 What Is Impact Experience33:40 Measuring Outcomes And Commitments35:50 Education Equity Breakthroughs41:47 Deep Listening As Persuasion44:36 Closing Thoughts And Book Plug
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Jeremy Andrus: The Turnaround Entrepreneur behind Traeger Grills
Feb 1001:03:30Tap to summarizeIn this revealing episode, Stan sits down with Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Grills, to delve into his gripping experiences in entrepreneurship and business transformation. Jeremy shares the tumultuous journey of rethinking and reinventing Traeger Grills amidst economic upheavals, tariffs, and a toxic corporate culture. The conversation covers the critical importance of negotiation, managing complex supplier relationships, leveraging partnerships with major retailers like Costco, and the power of transparency in leadership. Alongside anecdotes from his time at Skullcandy and a harrowing poisoning scare in China, Jeremy offers invaluable insights into building a resilient business that's not just about survival, but winning.00:27 Meet Jeremy Andres: CEO of Traeger Grills01:12 Navigating Challenges: COVID and Tariffs02:47 Reinvention and Survival Strategies05:38 Transparency and Team Communication10:43 Jeremy's Harvard Business School Journey13:16 Early Entrepreneurial Struggles17:17 Joining Skullcandy: The Early Days21:55 Negotiating Deals and Raising Capital29:05 Acquiring Traeger Grills: The Surprises30:04 Acquiring a 27-Year-Old Business30:35 Cultural Challenges and Realizations33:01 Negotiating a Buyout33:34 Revamping the Supply Chain34:37 Dealing with Toxic Culture36:59 Retail Negotiations and Battle Scars37:25 Costco's Tough Negotiation Tactics48:38 Supplier Negotiations in China55:54 Building Strong Supplier Relationships01:03:33 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years. #AllThingsNegotiation #NegotiationStrategy #DealMaking #BusinessLeadership #EntrepreneurMindset #MethodicalThinking #BATNA #Leverage #SalesLeadership #FounderLife #CLevelLeadership #StrategicThinking #BusinessPodcast #StanAndJeremy #Traeger
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David Neeleman: The JetBlue founder who built five successful airlines
Jan 1300:43:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Stan welcomes David Neeleman, a renowned figure in the airline industry, for an in-depth conversation on the intricacies of building successful airlines. David, who has founded five airlines including JetBlue and Breeze Airways, shares his insights on effective negotiation, leadership, and personal growth. The discussion covers his career journey, significant milestones, key strategies in negotiating with stakeholders, and maintaining a strong company culture. David also opens up about challenges, including his time at Southwest Airlines and the infamous Valentine's Day crisis at JetBlue, and the lessons learned from these experiences. 01:04 David Neeleman's Early Career and Morris Air02:21 The Sale to Southwest Airlines04:43 Challenges at Southwest and Moving On06:33 Founding WestJet and Navitaire09:40 The Birth of JetBlue11:17 JetBlue's Success and Differentiation13:29 Negotiating with Boeing and Airbus16:03 Customer Engagement and Communication Strategies22:14 Total Transparency and Accountability22:39 The Valentine's Day Massacre Crisis25:43 Lessons from Getting Fired29:51 Founding Azul Airlines32:18 Navigating Cross-Cultural Challenges34:14 The Success of Breeze Airways42:25 Effective Negotiation Strategies43:34 Advice for Young ProfessionalsHost Stan Christensen has spent his career working as a professional negotiator in a variety of arenas. He has also taught a popular course on negotiation at Stanford University for over twenty years.
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Chip Conley: The entrepreneur who reinvented three industries
Dec 900:56:47Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Stan talks with Chip Conley, an iconic entrepreneur and the founder of the Joie De Vivre hotel chain, a key player in Airbnb, and the creator of the Modern Elder Academy. They dive into the principles of karmic capitalism, lessons learned from building and scaling multiple successful businesses, and strategies for maintaining a good reputation. Chip shares his experiences at Airbnb, dealing with regulation challenges, and the importance of inter-generational collaboration. They also discuss the Modern Elder Academy, where Chip helps individuals navigate midlife transitions and find new purpose. This episode is rich with lessons in negotiation, leadership, and holistic thinking.Check out: Chip’s Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMidlifeChrysalisPodcastModern Elder Academy: https://www.meawisdom.com/Chip’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMidlifeChrysalisPodcast00:00 Introduction to Karmic Capitalism00:20 Meet Chip Conley: Entrepreneurial Journey02:48 Founding Joie de Vivre Hotel Chain05:55 Negotiating with Bands and Tour Managers11:26 Risk and Decision Making in Business15:21 Hotel Vitale: A Case Study in Negotiation19:26 Managing Through Economic Downturns23:34 Transition to Airbnb and Burning Man Involvement29:20 The Ethos of Burning Man29:39 Negotiation Strategies and Personal Stories31:46 Joining Airbnb: A New Challenge33:08 Building Culture and Facing Challenges at Airbnb36:33 Navigating Co-Founder Dynamics40:28 Regulation and Host Relations45:02 Founding the Modern Elder Academy48:09 Helping People Navigate Midlife Transitions52:25 The Value of Wisdom and Experience54:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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David Rubenstein: Carlyle Co-Founder on Negotiation Lessons from Wall Street to Washington
Nov 2000:49:08Tap to summarizeIn this insightful episode you will learn about the power of persuasion and negotiation from David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group. Dive into his extensive experience in relationship-building, fundraising, and leadership. Discover Rubenstein's methods for becoming an effective communicator and the significance of self-deprecating humor and active listening in negotiations. Gain an insider's perspective on political dynamics, U.S. presidencies, and nonprofit leadership as Rubenstein shares stories from his distinguished career. Whether in business, politics, or personal relationships, find out how persistence, integrity, and bipartisanship are key to success.00:00 Introduction: The Power of Persuasion01:00 Building Relationships: Insights from David Rubenstein01:38 Developing an Outgoing Personality03:34 Lessons from Ted Sorenson04:47 The Role of Persistence in Fundraising08:17 Recruiting and Integrity at Carlisle11:36 Leadership Transitions at Carlisle14:36 Current Political Climate and Bipartisanship21:07 International Relations and Allies23:06 Presidential Power and Persuasion25:45 Trump's Popularity in the Middle East26:52 Reflecting on Jimmy Carter's Legacy28:08 Challenges in Leading Nonprofit Organizations32:19 The Role of Presidents in Negotiation33:05 Evaluating Presidential Effectiveness38:48 Obama's Struggles with Bipartisanship40:39 Supreme Court Confirmations and Politics42:03 Perspectives on Reagan and Bush45:19 Biden's Negotiation Challenges46:27 US-China Relations47:52 The Importance of Negotiation Skills50:12 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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