Silence wins the negotiation

Stop reacting to headlines like this if you want to lead like this. You're not lazy. You're scared. Admit it. Watch two leaders sit across a table when everything's on the line. Nobody's raising their voice. Nobody's checking their phone. That silence isn't weakness, it's control. And here's what nobody tells you, the person who speaks first usually loses leverage. I used to fill every quiet moment in meetings, thought silence meant I was losing. Cost me a seven figure deal once. Now I let the quiet sit. Discomfort isn't a problem to solve. It's information. Sit still. Let them blink first.