The Power of Being Understood

A quiet advantage in business and beyond - for those who build trust, lead teams, and negotiate with care

A Story About Partnership and Choosing Your Own Strategy

Or why sometimes it’s better to trust your intuition than follow negotiation rules

I want to share a story from my experience - one that doesn’t quite fit the usual playbook. It’s about why we shouldn’t rely solely on the “laws of negotiation,” but instead lean on common sense, observation, and instinct.

Sure, those rules exist for a reason - they’ve been shaped by years of conflicts, deals, and disappointments. But just like with Google Maps, having a route doesn’t mean you follow it blindly. The map offers direction, but the driver still makes the final call.

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Context

This happened during the time I was running our retail store (I’ve shared more about it in my entrepreneurial story on Substack). One of the global brands we were actively working with changed regional distributors. This brand was a key part of our business - we had invested in marketing, launched campaigns, built a community, and created a strong association between our store and the brand. We had a team of ambassadors, sponsored local events, produced content featuring this brand - it was front and center on our shelves and in our story.

Then everything changed.

The new distributor came in with an aggressive attitude: “We choose who we work with. We set the terms.”

Colleagues who had already met with the CEO described him as arrogant, closed-off, uninterested in real conversation. We were completely ignored. No emails, no calls, no invitation to discuss terms. And yet, this brand had already become a part of our DNA.

The First Encounter

We tried to reach out - no success. The only answer: “The CEO is busy.”

Honestly? That stung. It felt like all our effort and time meant nothing. But we knew - this happens in business.

Then, one day, I got a call.

The manager said: “The CEO is available. He can meet you - in one hour.”

My first thought: Seriously? That wasn’t just inconvenient - it felt like a power move. We were already at another meeting and would have to drop everything.

Any other businessperson might’ve said no: “That’s not how professionals treat each other. Just walk away.”

But my wife Nata (she’s also my business partner) and I saw it differently. What mattered most was our business, our team, our customers.

We weren’t going to play someone else’s game. We’d show up on our own terms.

Want to go deeper? There’s more waiting for you.

If this post speaks to you, I’ve also created something extra:

“7 Situations Where Understanding Changes Everything - and How to Handle Each One” - a short PDF guide with clear, real-life examples and ideas you can use right away.

You’ll receive it automatically in the welcome email after starting a paid subscription (including during the 7-day free trial).

It’s a practical tool that brings the ideas in this article to life - especially when the stakes are high.

Try it out, explore the full story, and get the bonus guide - all included.