Say LESS and Get MORE With Fotini Iconomopoulos, The Negotiator
In this episode of the Influence Anyone podcast (previously Legend Effect), host Howie Chan interviews Fotini Iconomopoulos, known as THE negotiator, she teaches negotiation with empathy, strategy, and a lot of real talk, and has taught thousands how to win without making others lose.
They delve into how to negotiate effectively, with lasting positive results, not just in business, but in life. Be prepared to never think of negotiation the same way again. The discussion emphasizes that good negotiations are those in which both sides walk away satisfied, rather than just one.
Fotini provides practical tips for business owners to avoid the negotiation traps they often fall into and establish sustainable client relationships that yield long-term benefits, as well as ways to navigate cross-cultural negotiations, circumvent temper tantrums, and become a more effective speaker.
Episode Breakdown:
03:32 How Fotini negotiated away a hospital bill
05:49 How it all started
07:13 Negotiation goes far beyond the boardroom
08:49 Winning a negotiation isn’t actually a good idea, strive for this instead
11:08 Say less, get more
13:24 When following a script made for others backfired
16:51 Navigating the reality of bias in negotiations
21:11 A simple shift that will give you more power when negotiating with prospects
25:21 The 3 C’s of likeability that will help you successfully reach out to prospects
29:23 How going into autopilot keeps us from our best interests
31:32 Why negotiation skills matter for both individuals and society as a whole
36:33 How to negotiate with people from different cultures and backgrounds
40:17 Don’t say everything, say what matters
44:12 A different way to approach speaking gigs that’ll make you more effective
49:05 How to prevent temper tantrums (from either kids or adults)
51:13 Negotiating with yourself with self-compassion for positive outcomes
55:44 A letter to Fotini’s younger self
From Our Guest:
Get the book, Say Less, Get More.
Catch up with my interview with Will Storr in episode 17 of the podcast: Storytelling: The TRUTH About What It Means to Be Human And The Secret to Influence with Legend Will Storr.
Quotes:
“ The person who's saying less is usually the one who's getting the most out of this negotiation because they're not just talking for the sake of talking. They're not giving away information because information is power. This element of ‘I need to be the one doing the most talking,’ or ‘I need to be really quick,’ that can actually work against you instead of for you in negotiations.” – Fotini Iconomopoulos
“ When you have really great negotiators who know how to be collaborative, who know how to use empathy to their advantage and to the other person's advantage, everybody walks away satisfied.” – Fotini Iconomopoulos
“ I've never done marketing. My 10-year career as a self-employed person has been all word of mouth because I'm always focused on what is satisfying for this person, [and] how can I help them meet this objective of theirs?” – Fotini Iconomopoulos
The Influence Anyone Podcast
The #1 podcast on applied influence psychology. Each episode, Howie Chan, a veteran brand and behavior strategist sits down with world experts and practitioners to uncover the hidden psychology that helps you influence yourself (mastering your mindset, habits, and decisions) and get buy-in from others (your team, clients, and audiences.) Together, we turn science into playbooks you can apply to lead, persuade, and create extraordinary success.
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