In this episode, we sit down with Leonardo D’Urso, one of Europe’s pioneers in mediation and conflict resolution and the CEO of ADR Center. We begin by exploring his personal journey, what first drew him into the field, and move on to the heart of his work: explaining what mediation really is, and who can (and cannot) become an effective mediator.

Leonardo takes us inside his new book, SOLVE: Mastering Conflict Resolution with the SOLVE Mediation Matrix, and introduces listeners to a structured framework that guides parties from conflict to resolution. He explains the five stages of the SOLVE Matrix: Set the Stage, Open the Process, Listen & Understand, Validate Options, and Enable Resolution, and illustrates how these work in practice with examples from commercial, community, and even victim-offender mediations.

We also discuss why the book goes beyond process steps to include targets, strategies, activities, keys, and skills, and what this level of detail contributes to real-world dispute resolution. Leonardo shares memorable mediation stories, insights into what people often misunderstand about mediation compared to litigation, and surprising lessons from applying the same approach across such diverse contexts.

Looking ahead, Leonardo reflects on the future of mediation and its role in addressing today’s global conflicts. He also offers practical advice for listeners: how anyone, whether or not they’ve ever been in a mediation room, can start adopting a mediator’s mindset in everyday life.

Finally, we ask him to capture the essence of his book, and to reflect on who he considers truly great in the world of negotiation and mediation.

Lobbying is often portrayed as a mysterious arena where influence meets policy. But at its heart, lobbying is built on negotiation, balancing interests, crafting agreements, and building trust under pressure.

In our next episode, we sit down with Michael Koplovsky, a multilingual EU lobbyist, former senior diplomat, and professor whose career spans five continents and some of the most complex political and crisis environments in the world. From forging civil-military cooperation in war zones to advancing public-private partnerships in Europe’s political institutions, Michael has seen lobbying and negotiation at their most intense.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Michael takes us through his unique career journey, explaining how his path from diplomacy to academia and ultimately into lobbying unfolded and why negotiation has always been the common thread linking them together. He sheds light on what lobbyists really do beyond the usual stereotypes, and why their work is so often misunderstood. We explore the surprising similarities between lobbying and negotiation, as well as the subtle differences that shape how each plays out in practice.

Michael shares vivid stories from the “war rooms” where advocacy campaigns are mapped out, and from the high-level tables where policy shifts are decided. He speaks candidly about both successes and failures in lobbying, highlighting the lessons negotiators can draw from each. We discuss the challenge of negotiating when multiple stakeholders with competing interests are at the table, and how to strike the right balance between quiet relationship-building behind the scenes and formal deal-making in the spotlight.

The conversation also touches on the ethical responsibilities lobbyists carry when shaping policy outcomes, and how much of their work depends on integrity and trust. Michael reflects on how lobbying has changed in recent years, shaped by technology, social media, and even the rise of AI, and what this means for the future of influence and negotiation. Looking back across his career, he distills the single most important negotiation lesson he has learned and shares who comes to his mind when he thinks about true greatness in negotiation.

With advanced degrees in National Security, Strategic Studies, and International Relations, and years of teaching negotiation, leadership, and communication, Michael bridges theory and practice like few others can. His vivid anecdotes from political capitals and crisis zones alike offer insights you won’t find in textbooks.

Whether you are a negotiation professional, a student, or simply curious about how influence is really shaped in the political world, this episode pulls back the curtain on lobbying as negotiation in action.

Lobbying is often portrayed as a mysterious arena where influence meets policy. But at its heart, lobbying is built on negotiation, balancing interests, crafting agreements, and building trust under pressure.

In our next episode, we sit down with Michael Koplovsky, a multilingual EU lobbyist, former senior diplomat, and professor whose career spans five continents and some of the most complex political and crisis environments in the world. From forging civil-military cooperation in war zones to advancing public-private partnerships in Europe’s political institutions, Michael has seen lobbying and negotiation at their most intense.

In our conversation, Michael takes us through his unique career journey, explaining how his path from diplomacy to academia and ultimately into lobbying unfolded and why negotiation has always been the common thread linking them together. He sheds light on what lobbyists really do beyond the usual stereotypes, and why their work is so often misunderstood. We explore the surprising similarities between lobbying and negotiation, as well as the subtle differences that shape how each plays out in practice.

Michael shares vivid stories from the “war rooms” where advocacy campaigns are mapped out, and from the high-level tables where policy shifts are decided. He speaks candidly about both successes and failures in lobbying, highlighting the lessons negotiators can draw from each. We discuss the challenge of negotiating when multiple stakeholders with competing interests are at the table, and how to strike the right balance between quiet relationship-building behind the scenes and formal deal-making in the spotlight.

The conversation also touches on the ethical responsibilities lobbyists carry when shaping policy outcomes, and how much of their work depends on integrity and trust. Michael reflects on how lobbying has changed in recent years, shaped by technology, social media, and even the rise of AI, and what this means for the future of influence and negotiation. Looking back across his career, he distills the single most important negotiation lesson he has learned and shares who comes to his mind when he thinks about true greatness in negotiation.

With advanced degrees in National Security, Strategic Studies, and International Relations, and years of teaching negotiation, leadership, and communication, Michael bridges theory and practice like few others can. His vivid anecdotes from political capitals and crisis zones alike offer insights you won’t find in textbooks.

Whether you are a negotiation professional, a student, or simply curious about how influence is really shaped in the political world, this episode pulls back the curtain on lobbying as negotiation in action.

AI is entering the negotiation room, not as a silent observer, but as a highly effective tool shaping how we prepare, communicate, and reach agreements.

From guiding our preparation to AI-driven coaching, from real-time performance feedback to agent-based simulations, artificial intelligence is beginning to revolutionize the way we approach negotiations in business, diplomacy, and beyond.

To explore this exciting frontier, I’m joined by Yadvinder S. Rana, a negotiation expert who bridges research, practice, and AI innovation. With a background in cross-cultural negotiations and B2B dealmaking, Yadvinder has spent his career investigating how professionals can consistently achieve optimal outcomes, even in environments marked by uncertainty, limited trust, or overwhelming complexity.

His recent work explores how AI can support human negotiation, responsibly and effectively. His empirical research shows that AI-augmented support can lead to 48% better individual outcomes and up to 84% more joint value when both parties use structured AI tools. To put these findings into practice, he developed the ALIGN Framework, a methodology that provides 24/7 expert-quality negotiation assistance powered by AI, no steep learning curve required.

Yadvinder works with procurement and sales leaders navigating complex B2B negotiations, helping them adopt AI tools that drive superior preparation and value creation. He also partners with consulting and training firms to integrate AI-enhanced negotiation into their services.

In our conversation, we explore what AI can, and crucially, cannot do in the context of negotiation, examining both its practical capabilities and its current limitations. We discuss how AI is already being used in negotiation training and education, from intelligent simulations to personalized feedback systems. We also dive into the ethical and relational dilemmas that arise when AI tools are introduced into real-time negotiations, including questions of trust, transparency, and agency. A key part of our discussion focuses on whether machines can truly grasp complex human dynamics like power, trust, and cultural nuance. Finally, we reflect on how negotiation professionals can best prepare for an AI-augmented future and what skills will remain essential in an increasingly automated world.

Following our earlier episode on Immanuel Kant and the role of truth and lies in negotiation, we return to the world of philosophy, this time with a thinker who approached ethics from a different angle: Aristotle.

What would Aristotle say if he were advising a modern-day negotiator?

In this episode, we’re joined by Rudolf Schüssler, a distinguished philosophy professor from the University of Bayreuth, to explore how Aristotle’s timeless ideas can shed light on negotiation.

Together, we discuss Aristotle’s concept of phronesis, or practical wisdom, and ask what it truly means to be a wise negotiator, not just someone who wins deals, but someone who understands what is good, fair, and sustainable in the long term. We also examine Aristotle’s famous triad of persuasion, ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic), and discuss how this rhetorical framework can help negotiators craft more compelling arguments, build trust, and communicate more effectively across differences.

As we move into the ethical dimension, Rudolf reflects on whether Aristotle’s virtue ethics can be applied to modern negotiations. Is there space for integrity in a world often driven by power and outcomes? And what kind of character traits should a negotiator cultivate to not only be persuasive, but also remain principled and respected?

Ultimately, we ask: What might an “Aristotelian negotiator” look like today? And how can Aristotle’s thinking help us become better not only at negotiation, but also through negotiation, as individuals and as members of a shared moral community?

Whether you’re an academic, a business professional, a student of philosophy, or simply curious about how ancient wisdom meets modern strategy, this episode offers a rare and insightful conversation that bridges two worlds and may just change the way you approach your next negotiation.

In this episode, we disucss one of the most essential and most elusive elements of successful negotiation: trust. What exactly is trust, and why does it matter so much at the negotiating table? Our guest, Mariusz Sikorski, who is a practitioner and researcher specializing in intercultural negotiation, walks us through the foundations of trust, unpacking its definition and exploring the many ways it influences negotiation outcomes, often before a single word is spoken.

Our conversation is rooted in a comprehensive literature review on this topic: Sikorski, M. T. & Albrecht, A., (2025) “Trust in the Context of Intercultural Negotiations - A Systematic Review”, Negotiation and Conflict Management Research 18(1), 1-41. doi: https://doi.org/10.34891/a0mc-jx98 published at the Negotiation and Conflict Management Research journal (NCMR). We explore the process behind this selection and the patterns that emerged across decades of research. From there, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of trust-building in intercultural negotiations, where assumptions, values, and expectations often collide.

Is it true that we naturally trust people who are more like us? And if so, what happens when the person sitting across from us has a completely different background, worldview, or communication style? We examine how cultural similarity and difference affect our ability to connect, and how negotiators can bridge that gap intentionally. Our guest shares strategies for building trust both with culturally similar and dissimilar counterparts, going beyond surface-level rapport to deeper forms of relational trust.

A key theme in the episode is cultural adaptability: how negotiators can read the room, interpret cues, and flex their own behavior to create more trusting environments. We also uncover some of the surprising and even contradictory findings from the literature, instances where conventional wisdom about trust doesn't hold up, or where cultural context changes the rules entirely.

Beyond theory, this episode is packed with practical advice for negotiators and companies operating across borders. Whether you're closing a deal, managing a partnership, or leading a multicultural team, the insights shared here will help you build trust more consciously and effectively. We also reflect on the gaps in the literature, what we still don’t know about trust in negotiation—and where future research could go next.

Whether you're a seasoned dealmaker or just starting to negotiate across cultures, this episode offers a thoughtful, research-backed, and actionable perspective on one of negotiation’s most human dimensions.

In this episode we host Rajiv Vaid Basaiawmoit, an innovation educator, sustainability advocate, and Head of Sci-tech Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Aarhus University. Rajiv is also the co-founder of Biosymfonix EduGames, where he develops innovative educational tools that bridge science, sustainability, and real-world problem-solving. With years of experience designing and running interactive learning experiences, Rajiv is passionate about making complex topics accessible, engaging, and actionable.

Rajiv takes us inside the creation of Pactopolis, a research-based board game designed to simulate negotiations for sustainable development. In Pactopolis, players represent different industry sectors, governments, and civil society, all trying to co-develop a region while staying true to sustainability goals. The game throws you into the messy, dynamic world of multi-party negotiation: balancing economic, environmental, and social objectives, facing resource crunches, responding to policy triggers, and dealing with the realities of both collaboration and competition.

During our conversation, Rajiv shares the inspiration and research journey behind Pactopolis and explains how the game models distributive versus integrative negotiation strategies. He reflects on surprising lessons learned from playtests in business schools, environmental programs, and international classrooms, and discusses why gaming can often reveal more about negotiation behavior and human nature than traditional classroom methods. We also talk about how Rajiv’s own experiences have shaped his approach to education and sustainability innovation, and what he’s learned about the challenge of fostering real collaboration, fairness, and change. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation that explores the power of game-based learning, the future of negotiation research, and what it really takes to drive sustainable change.

What if the key to unlocking better deals, stronger relationships, and greater confidence in negotiations was simply... asking better questions?

In this episode, we’re joined by Linda Swindling, internationally recognized negotiation expert and author of Ask Outrageously! The Secret to Getting What You Really Want. Linda brings a rare combination of legal insight, executive coaching experience, and practical negotiation wisdom to the table. Together we'll discuss why questions are your most underrated negotiation tool.

We begin by tracing Linda’s professional journey from a prospective lawyer to a negotiation professor and disucss how her legal training shaped her unique perspective on high-stakes communication. She shares the moment she realized that asking boldly, strategically, even outrageously, was the secret sauce behind successful negotiations.

From there, we dig deep into the psychology of asking: what makes certain questions effective, why some questions are avoided even when they could change the outcome, and how different types of questions: open-ended, probing, reflective, and more, can be used to guide conversations, diffuse tension, and uncover hidden opportunities.

Throughout the episode, Linda explains why questions are often more powerful than statements in negotiation, and how understanding the purpose and impact of a question can dramatically shift the direction of a deal. She reveals when and how to use specific types of questions at different stages of the negotiation process, helping you build rapport, uncover needs, and drive outcomes with intention. She also unpacks what it truly means to “ask outrageously,” not recklessly, but courageously and unapologetically, and shares how this mindset has helped her clients and audiences achieve unexpected wins.

Linda also highlights the common mistakes professionals make when crafting questions, such as asking too timidly, leading with assumptions, or failing to listen to the answers. She provides clear strategies to avoid these pitfalls and offers practical tools for developing stronger questioning techniques.

Reflecting on her career, she recounts one of the most challenging negotiations she ever faced and how the strategic use of questions became the turning point in its resolution. For those hesitant to speak up or afraid of asking the "wrong" question, Linda offers empowering advice to reframe their mindset and step into conversations with confidence.

To close the episode, Linda shares her top recommendation for anyone looking to level up their negotiation game: adopt one essential practice related to questioning that can make all the difference. She also suggests a few exercises and resources for professionals who want to refine their skills and start asking more purposefully today.

Whether you're negotiating a raise, a contract, or your next big career move, this conversation will equip you with tools to ask with more clarity, confidence, and courage.

Here are the links to free material on Linda's website (Code "TNC"):

• How well do you ask - https://www.lindasentme.com/ASK/quiz1/registerask.php
• What's Their DEAL Style? https://www.lindasentme.com/theirdeal/registertheirdeal.php
• What's My DEAL? https://www.lindasentme.com/deal/registerdeal.php

In this episode, we focus on first offers and negotiation impasses with Martin Schweinsberg, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at ESMT Berlin. Drawing from his cutting-edge research, Martin reveals the science behind why first offers set the tone for negotiations, how they shape expectations, and whether making the first move truly gives you an advantage.

But what happens when negotiations hit a deadlock? Martin shares his insights on why impasses occur, the psychological traps that keep us stuck, and proven strategies to break through stalemates—whether in business deals, salary negotiations, or personal conflicts.

Interestingly, there’s a strong link between first offers and impasses. A well-calibrated first offer can anchor the negotiation and steer it toward a mutually beneficial outcome, while an overly aggressive or unrealistic first offer can backfire, creating resistance and leading to deadlock. Martin explains the psychological mechanisms at play and how to craft first offers that maximize value without pushing the other side away.

Martin's study of 26 million eBay negotiations, highlights how initial offers significantly impact final prices—higher first offers often lead to better outcomes but also increase the risk of impasse. Our conversation explores what impasses are, their common causes, and how negotiators can recognize and prevent them. While impasses are often seen as negative, they can sometimes lead to better long-term deals. Martin shares practical strategies for overcoming deadlocks, emphasizing the influence of communication channels, time pressure, and relationships. They also offer advice on making effective first offers while minimizing negotiation breakdowns and discuss their current research interests. The episode concludes with reflections on great negotiators from history and their unique approaches to successful deal-making.

In our latest episode, we focus on persuasion and high-stakes negotiation with two exceptional experts: Adele Gambardella and Chip Massey. They share insights from their new book, "Convince Me: High-Stakes Negotiation Tactics to Get Results in Any Business Situation", offering listeners practical strategies to enhance their convincing abilities in both professional and personal contexts.

"Convince Me" combines decades of experience from Adele and Chip, providing readers with a deep understanding of persuasion techniques applicable to various scenarios. The book explores high-risk situations, offering insights into developing powerful convincing skills and adapting them to any person or situation.

Adele is an award-winning publicist and crisis communications expert, Adele owned and managed a top PR firm in Washington, DC, for 15 years. She has served as a spokesperson for Fortune 100 companies, including DuPont, Deutsche Bank, Lockheed Martin, SAP, and Verizon. Adele has also been a PR strategist and crisis management consultant for clients such as the United Nations, Meta, Johnson & Johnson, and President Joe Biden.

Chip is a former FBI Special Agent and hostage negotiator, Chip led high-profile criminal cases, investigated the September 11th terrorist attacks, and spearheaded the New York FBI Office’s Crisis Negotiations Teams. He now applies his high-stakes negotiation skills to the business world, guiding executives and their teams in using sophisticated communication and negotiation techniques in various professional situations.

Together, Adele and Chip co-founded The Convincing Company, a crisis communications and interactive training firm that draws from psychology, neuroscience, public relations, and FBI techniques to offer actionable advice and strategies to build, breakthrough, and repair brands. Tune in to gain valuable insights from their extensive experience and learn how to master the art of persuasion in negotiation.

In this episode, we explore the power of persuasion with Chip, a former FBI negotiator, and Adele, a business communication expert, as they share insights from their new book “Convince Me.” We begin by uncovering their unique partnership—how their distinct backgrounds in high-stakes negotiation and corporate communication inspired them to join forces and write a book that bridges the gap between life-or-death negotiations and day-to-day business interactions. They discuss how their expertise complements each other, shedding light on common misconceptions about persuasion and addressing challenges like resistance to new ideas or building trust in high-pressure situations. Whether it’s resolving conflicts in the FBI or navigating a tense boardroom discussion, Chip and Adele reveal strategies that professionals can immediately apply to improve their ability to influence and connect.

Throughout the conversation, Chip and Adele share actionable tools that build trust and enhance credibility. They dive into practical advice for those struggling with persuasion, offering mindset shifts and first steps that can transform communication effectiveness. The episode also highlights key mistakes to avoid and contrasts the dynamics of persuasion in crisis situations versus corporate settings. Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of how to navigate resistance, build trust quickly, and develop a persuasive edge—whether leading a team, pitching an idea, or managing conflicts.