Negotiation

Executive Neuro-Brief

The Evolutionary Design
Nature built you to survive. But fighting is dangerous. Physical conflict burns energy and risks injury. So, your brain developed a safer way to get resources. It created social exchange. This allows you to settle disputes and share food without violence. It keeps the tribe together. Your brain uses this tool to balance your needs with the needs of the group. It is the biological root of fairness.

The Modern Analogy
Negotiation is like trading cards at recess, trying to make a trade where both kids walk away feeling like they got something valuable. Your brain is the playground. You hold a rare card in your hand. The other person holds the one you want. If you refuse to trade, you sit alone. If you give up your card for nothing, you feel cheated. Stress chemicals flood your system if the trade feels unfair. But if you find the right swap, your brain releases dopamine. You both feel like winners.

The Upgrade Protocol
To win, you must stop looking only at your own hand. Look at the other kid’s binder. Find out what card is missing from their collection. Do not try to trick them. Instead, help them complete their set. Use your higher brain functions to stay calm. Offer a trade that fills their empty slot while getting what you need. When you make the other kid feel smart for trading with you, the game becomes easy. You build a better deck by helping them build theirs.