LISTEN TO THE EPISODE
ON THIS EPISODE OF AMPLIFY
Are you tired of feeling like you have to be inauthentic to be liked? Do you struggle with setting boundaries and advocating for yourself, fearing it might damage your relationships?
This week on Amplify, Jess sits down with her dear friend, Kwame Christian, a top-booked negotiation keynote speaker and host of the #1 podcast, Negotiate Anything.
Kwame shares a deeply personal and formative childhood story that shaped his journey from people-pleaser to negotiation expert, revealing how his early experiences led him to compromise himself for the sake of being liked. He explains how this common “people-pleasing pressure” can actually damage the very relationships we’re trying to protect.
Let this episode be your permission to stop shrinking and start being clear.
YOU’LL DISCOVER:
- The surprising link between childhood experiences and our adult people-pleasing tendencies.
- How the "big five personality traits" (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) influence our negotiation style.
- Why being overly agreeable can lead to an "emotional hangover" and resentment.
- The profound impact of unspoken boundaries on relationships, both personal and professional.
- Kwame's simple "yes-no-yes" framework for setting and maintaining effective boundaries.
- Why the definition of negotiation is often warped, and how redefining it can empower you in daily life.
- The concept that "assertiveness is teaching the person how to treat you."
- How to navigate the "assertiveness penalty" that women (and other groups) often face in professional settings.
- Why overthinking is your "kryptonite," and how a "shot clock" can help you make better decisions faster.
- The psychological insight that you'll never truly "get over" stage fright, and why that's a good thing.
- How Kwame uses AI daily to amplify his humanity, manage emotions, identify blind spots, and create cohesive negotiation strategies.
- The power of mirror neurons and how our tone and attitude can unconsciously impact others.