All Things Negotiation
A podcast about negotiation, persuasion, and influence—taught through real stories. Hosted by Stan Christensen, who has taught negotiation at Stanford University for over 20 years, this bi-weekly podcast features founders, executives, investors, and foreign policy experts sharing real-world negotiation experiences. Episodes explore how leaders negotiate with venture capitalists, employees, customers, boards, and governments—and what actually works when the stakes are high.
Episodes
Angela Duckworth, bestselling author of Grit, returns with a powerful new idea: success depends not only on your character and perseverance, but also on the people, places, cultures, and environments surrounding you.
In her new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best, the University of Pennsylvania and Wharton professor explains why grit and willpower are sometimes not enough. Instead of always asking, &l...
Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, joins Stan to discuss his entrepreneurial journey through the lens of negotiation, from losing The Amazing Race due to wrong assumptions to building TOMS’ one-for-one model that donated over 100 million pairs of shoes. He shares negotiation lessons from supply-chain struggles in Argentina and China, early PR-driven demand he couldn’t fulfill, and a costly Nordstrom deal he &ldq...
In this episode of All Things Negotiation, Stanford professor and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul discusses the difference between autocrats and democrats. How leaders like Putin, Xi, and Trump think differently than leaders who seek to protect democratic institutions. As someone who has known Putin since before his rise to power, Ambassador Mcfaul explains why he is not interested in personal friendship with Americ...
Stan talks with Roger Carstens, former U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and ex–Army Ranger/Special Forces officer, about high-stakes hostage negotiations and the realities of persuading adversaries.
Carstens explains how the hostage office was created after U.S. failures in Syria, argues engagement is essential despite “we don’t negotiate” rhetoric, and reports his team helped bring home 6...
Stan interviews Christa Gannon about founding Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) after volunteering with incarcerated teens and asking what could have prevented their involvement with the justice system.
A former UC Santa Barbara basketball All-American and Stanford Law graduate, Gannon describes negotiating with fear to take a nontraditional path, learning entrepreneurial lessons from sports, and using deep listening to co-design pro...
Stan interviews longtime friend and Harvard professor Sheila Heen about why difficult conversations derail and how to handle them more effectively.
They discuss the “hero/villain/victim” stories people tell when frustrated, how smart people can listen poorly by focusing on what’s wrong, and why many conflicts are “switch-track” disagreements where each person thinks the conversation is about something d...
China expert Rush Doshi explains how the US should negotiate and compete with China amid deep mutual distrust and differing views of intentions.
Rush Doshi is regarded as one of the leading voices on US policy toward China, and he argues that China’s strategy shifts with its perception of American power—ebbing and flowing with the state of US policy decisions.
Stan and Rush discuss his insight from being in a key figure ...
Sal Khan reflects on growing Khan Academy from tutoring cousins in 2004 into a nonprofit serving nearly 200 million registered users across 50+ languages with 350 staff, driven by a mission of free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Sal shares how he negotiated with himself and his collaborators to keep Khan Academy a non-profit organization that's mission-driven. He dives into the most prominent issues facing education t...
Former Trump Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs and National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien discusses behind-the-scenes negotiation lessons from hostage cases and major foreign-policy deals.
O’Brien describes his approach as implementing President Trump’s decisions, crediting that alignment for successes including the Abraham Accords.
He gives a candid look at what operations inside the Trump administration loo...
In this conversation with Fareed Zakaria, the discussion centers on negotiation as the core of foreign policy and the danger of confusing tactical success with strategic clarity.
Zakaria weighs in on the U.S conflict in Iran and shares a dire warning about how it could affect U.S negotiations for years to come.
Stan and Fareed discuss a wide range of bilateral relationships and the potential risk of an “imperial trap” w...
In this podcast episode, Stan welcomes investor and CEO Jenna Nicholas to discuss the growing inflection point where financial performance aligns with social and environmental impact.
They explore Nicholas’s book, "The Enlightened Bottom Line: Exploring the Intersection of Spirituality, Business and Investing," including her motivation to interview investors and business leaders about transformational moments, values, and leg...
In this revealing episode, Stan sits down with Jeremy Andrus, CEO of Traeger Grills, to delve into his gripping experiences in entrepreneurship and business transformation. Jeremy shares the tumultuous journey of rethinking and reinventing Traeger Grills amidst economic upheavals, tariffs, and a toxic corporate culture. The conversation covers the critical importance of negotiation, managing complex supplier relationships, leveragi...
In this episode, Stan welcomes David Neeleman, a renowned figure in the airline industry, for an in-depth conversation on the intricacies of building successful airlines. David, who has founded five airlines including JetBlue and Breeze Airways, shares his insights on effective negotiation, leadership, and personal growth. The discussion covers his career journey, significant milestones, key strategies in negotiating with stakehold...
In this episode, Stan talks with Chip Conley, an iconic entrepreneur and the founder of the Joie De Vivre hotel chain, a key player in Airbnb, and the creator of the Modern Elder Academy. They dive into the principles of karmic capitalism, lessons learned from building and scaling multiple successful businesses, and strategies for maintaining a good reputation.
Chip shares his experiences at Airbnb, dealing with regulation challeng...
In this insightful episode you will learn about the power of persuasion and negotiation from David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group. Dive into his extensive experience in relationship-building, fundraising, and leadership. Discover Rubenstein's methods for becoming an effective communicator and the significance of self-deprecating humor and active listening in negotiations. Gain an insider's perspective on political dyna...
In this compelling episode, Jake Harriman, founder of More Perfect Union, discusses his mission to bridge America's partisan divide through community service, civics, and social gatherings. Harriman, a former Marine with extensive combat experience in Iraq, shares how his military background and a transformational encounter in Southern Iraq pushed him to address extreme poverty in Africa through the nonprofit Nuru International. He...
Join us in an insightful conversation with Hannah Riley Bowles, a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School and an expert in negotiation. In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of gender differences in negotiation, strategies for closing the gender pay gap, and the socio-economic and family dynamics influencing women's career advancement. Learn about the essential S.U.R.E framework for effective negotiation and uncover the impa...
Stan is joined by Dave Ferguson, Co-Founder and President of Nuro. In this episode, Dave discusses his transition from Waymo to Nuro, the pivotal shifts in their business model, and how they've managed to secure a monumental partnership with Uber and Lucid to create robo-taxis. Dave also opens up about the challenges faced during Nuro's evolution, from team restructuring to investor negotiations, and offers a glimpse into the futur...
Join Stan as he dives deep into the remarkable entrepreneurial journey of Sami Inkinen in this episode of All Things Negotiation. A two-time successful entrepreneur, Inkinen co-founded Trulia, an online real estate marketplace, and Virta Health, a revolutionary company aimed at reversing type 2 diabetes. Throughout the conversation, Inkinen shares insights on grit, risk-taking, and authenticity in the business world. Discover the h...
In this episode, Stan interviews Dr. Toyin Ajayi, a physician, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Cityblock Health. They discuss the challenges of healthcare delivery for underserved populations, building trust, value-based care, entrepreneurship, and lessons in negotiation and persuasion.
00:00 - Introduction: The Art of Selling as a CEO
00:18 - Meet Dr. Toyin Ajayi & Cityblock Health
00:37 - Toyin’s Journey: Gaps in Medicaid ...
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