"The first negotiation is actually a negotiation I have with myself about my own story."

Before you can have hard conversations with others, you need to have an honest conversation with yourself. That's the counterintuitive advice from Sheila Heen, a Harvard Law School lecturer and co-author of Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most, who says our own internal narratives often derail our attempts at negotiation and conflict resolution. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Heen joins Matt Abrahams to explore effective communication in high-stakes situations. From giving and receiving feedback with her “ACE” framework (Appreciation, Coaching, and Evaluation) to recognizing the "degrees of difficulty" in disagreements, she offers practical strategies for having productive conversations even when emotions run high.

Key Takeaways:

• Difficult conversations start with understanding yourself. Before trying to change someone else's mind, examine your own assumptions, emotions, and goals to create space for a more productive dialogue.
• Curiosity turns conflict into collaboration. Replacing blame with genuine questions and focusing on understanding rather than convincing helps build trust, reduce defensiveness, and move conversations forward.

Activity:

• Decode feedback. The next time someone asks for feedback, don't answer immediately. Implement the ACE framework. First ask: "Are you looking for appreciation, coaching, or evaluation?" Then tailor your response to match what they actually need

Episode Reference Links:

• Sheila Heen
• Sheila’s Book: Difficult Conversations
• Ep. 204 Tough Talks: Turn Tension Into Trust

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• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (01:40) - Facing Difficult Conversations
• (03:53) - The Feelings Beneath Conflict
• (07:02) - The Stories We Tell Ourselves
• (08:19) - Start with the Third Story
• (09:59) - The Power of Questions
• (12:36) - Breaking an Impasse
• (16:15) - The Language of Curiosity
• (17:12) - Feedback That Lands
• (20:18) - Asking for Better Feedback
• (22:38) - Looking Beneath the Surface
• (24:15) - The Final Three Questions
• (31:30) - Conclusion

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