We interview Sheila Heen on negotiation and difficult conversations. The talk includes practical advice, understanding the role of identity, discussions on the research behind "anchoring," analyzing a scenario, and more.

A bit about Sheila Heen:

Sheila Heen is the Thaddeus R. Beal Professor of Practice at Harvard Law School and serves as a Deputy Director of the Harvard Negotiation Project.

Prof. Heen specializes in particularly difficult negotiations – where emotions run high and relationships are strained. She is also a co-author of two New York Times bestsellers, "Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most" and "Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well." She has written for the Harvard Business Review, and the New York Times as a guest expert, and as a Modern Love columnist.

Prof. Heen is also a Founder of Triad Consulting Group, a corporate education and consulting firm that serves clients on six continents. Her corporate clients have included Pixar, the NBA, and Ford, to name a few. She often works with executive teams, helping them to work through conflict, repair working relationships and make sound decisions together. In the public sector she has also provided training for the New England Organ Bank, the Singapore Supreme Court, the Obama White House and theologians struggling with disagreement over the nature of truth and God.

Prof. Heen is a graduate of Occidental College and Harvard Law School. She was also my professor.