The Art of CEO-Level Negotiation for Women Leaders

Host: Dr. Sharon McLaughlinShow: Power of Peacefulness Podcast

Do you experience a sense of "immediate dread" when you hear the word negotiation? You aren't alone. For many women in leadership, the pressure to maintain harmony often clashes with the need to advocate for resources, promotions, or organizational goals. In this deep dive, Dr. Sharon McLaughlin dismantles the myth that you need to be a "cutthroat shark" to succeed at the top.

Drawing on evidence-based research from organizational psychology, this episode reframes negotiation from "gladiatorial combat" into a strategic exercise in collaborative problem-solving and value creation. Learn how to leverage your natural instincts for empathy and collaboration as your greatest leadership assets.

• The Power of the BATNA: Discover why your "Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement" is the ultimate source of your confidence. If you have a solid Plan B, the negotiation is no longer life-or-death—it’s an opportunity.

• Strategic Empathy: Learn how to move beyond your own "stretch goals" to become a detective of your counterpart’s world. What are their pressures, fears, and underlying interests?

• Bypassing the "Likability Penalty": Understand the "Catalyst Study" findings. Discover how to use "We" language to frame your personal advocacy as a win for the entire organization’s mission.

• Mastering Strategic Silence: Why the most uncomfortable tactic for conflict-averse leaders is often the most effective tool for uncovering critical intelligence.

• System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking: How to use Daniel Kahneman’s psychological frameworks to stay logical when the other party gets emotional or throws out a lowball offer.

• “What would it take for us to get to a ‘yes’ on this?” (The ultimate collaborative pivot).

• “My goal today is to explore how we can collectively achieve our shared objective.”

• “My intention here is to ensure we are maximizing our team’s potential to hit our strategic goals.”

• Bowles & Babcock: Research on relational outcomes and communal goals in negotiation.

• Fisher & Ury: The foundational concepts of "Getting to Yes."

• Kolb & Porter: Strategies for framing requests to align with institutional priorities.

• The Catalyst Study: Data on how women successfully navigate self-advocacy.

Ready to communicate with more presence and power? Download Dr. Sharon’s free workbook: Five Steps to Communicate with More Calm, Clarity, and Confidence. It’s your practical guide to showing up with impact in every conversation.

Connect with Dr. Sharon:

• Website: powerofpeacefulness.com

• Community: Join the Female Physician Entrepreneurs Group

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