Own Your Breath, Own the Room – How to Master Negotiations

Oct 21, 2024·By Sammi Sadicario

One of the most impactful lessons Sammi taught me was how to control my breathing. It sounds simple, but it was everything. If you can control your breath, you can control the moment—and with that, anything is possible. - Lorena, Client, Lead Attorney

Here’s a Sure-Fire Way to Lose Every Negotiation and Deal:

Lose your temper. The first person who gets heated loses. It’s that simple.

If you’ve ever watched a high-stakes negotiation scene on TV, you’ve probably seen this play out. Think of shows like “Suits” or “Billions,” where seasoned lawyers and power players sit across the table from each other, locked in a tense back-and-forth. Who wins? It’s never the one who loses control. The winner is always the person who stays calm, measured, and deliberate—the one who owns the room by controlling their breath.

The winner is always the person who stays calm, measured, and deliberate—the one who owns the room by controlling their breath.

Take Harvey Specter from Suits, for example. Harvey never lets the pressure get to him. His confidence stems not just from his knowledge, but from his ability to stay cool under fire. You’ll notice that even in the tensest moments, his voice remains steady, his breathing calm. He speaks with authority because he controls his breath—and as a result, he controls the room.

The Science Backs This Up. Research shows that controlled breathing can reduce stress and lower your heart rate, making you more focused and less reactive in high-pressure situations. According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, deep, diaphragmatic breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which calms your body’s fight-or-flight response. This means you stay clear-headed and in control, even when tensions rise.

So how do you master this?

Own your breath. When you control your breath, you control the conversation. By focusing on your breathing, you can project calm, confidence, and authority—just like Harvey Specter. Staying grounded with your breath helps you keep control of the situation, allowing you to navigate any negotiation, sales call, or team meeting without losing your cool.

Here’s How Breath Control Can Change the Game:

1. Regain control of your emotions before they control you.

2. Project calm and authority when the stakes are high.

3. Stay focused on the conversation and avoid letting stress throw you off course.

Whether you’re in the boardroom or on a sales call, mastering your breath is the ultimate tool for keeping yourself in check. It helps you remain the calmest, most persuasive person in the room—which often means you’ll be the most powerful.

Want to Learn How to Do This?

I teach this and much more in my Own Your Voice workshop. This session is designed to help your team take control of their communication, become more persuasive, and handle high-pressure situations with ease.

Bring this workshop to your team as a seminar or lunch and learn. Email [email protected] with the message "OWN YOUR BREATH" to set up a discovery call, and let’s transform the way your team communicates to give them the competitive edge.