Negotiation Expert, Fotini Iconomopoulos shares how adopting a few negotiation strategies can lead to better relationships in business and life.

Negotiation Expert, Fotini Iconomopoulos dives deep into the art of negotiation. Throughout the conversation, Fotini shares insights from her extensive experience running negotiation workshops and reveals the top challenges people experience when learning how to negotiate and how applying these strategies can actually improve relationships. She offers actionable steps for overcoming these barriers like the importance of preparation, cooperative negotiation tactics, emotional regulation, and asking the right questions. Fotini also explores the bias between men and women in the workplace when it comes to negotiation and provides real life examples. She also shares her own story about needing to go to the emergency room and how negotiation literally saved her life.

BIO

For over a decade, Fotini Iconomopoulos has been the person that Fortune 50 companies call to help them through their high stakes negotiations or train them to upgrade their negotiation, communication and persuasion skills. Today she spends most of her time keynote speaking on negotiation, communication, leadership and conflict management, and offering her experience to meaningful non-profit initiatives. She is regularly featured on TV & podcast media and has been quoted in numerous global publications including HBR, Forbes, CNN, CNBC, and Business Insider.

HarperCollins noticed her frequent media appearances and asked to write her first, now best-selling, book “Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want”which launched to critical acclaim and praise as some of “The Best Leadership Advice from Books By Women” (Globe & Mail 2021).

When not with clients, she occasionally returns to the classroom as an instructor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business, where she completed her MBA, as well as guest lectures at universities all over the globe.

After a decade of entrepreneurship in retail, Fotini refined her negotiation skills in the corporate world working for giants like L’Oreal before management consulting. She created a successful negotiation advisory practice for another global firm before starting her own, guiding clients through high-stakes scenarios in all industries.

Having overcome significant gender adversity early in her career, Fotini is passionate about helping people develop the confidence to take on challenges, with a particular interest in empowering women & disadvantaged groups through various non-profit initiatives. In 2018, she expanded to educating adolescent girls through an empowerment camp experience, to start building their confidence and resilience early, a passion she continues to pursue.

She’s been honored by NextUp (formerly Network of Executive Women), whom she serves as a regional advisor for their only Canadian chapter, with a National Inclusion award; The Greek America Foundation as one of their Top 40 under 40; and has been nominated for the Women of Influence RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards multiple times.

CHAPTERS

05:12 Challenges surrounding asking for what you want

08:16 Privilege in negotiation, the on-ramp vs. the stairs

12:09 Emotional regulation in negotiation

16:58 Labelling in negotiation

19:40 Using questions to self-advocate in high pressure situations

22:14 Mirroring in corporate environments

25:20 How to know when to leave a negotiation situation

31:13 Rehearsing for negotiations

34:22 Likeability in negotiation and how to better connect with others

40:50 How Fotini turned a hospital visit into a negotiation and succeeded

LINKS

Productivity expert and executive coach, Clare Kumar reveals her new job, outlines the Total Team Work Program, recaps her experience and shares insights from Brené Brown’s keynote at WorkHuman 2024.

Clare Kumar is a productivity expert and executive coach who focuses on the intersection where productivity meets inclusivity in workplaces and organizations. In this episode, she talks about her new job as Regional Director of Hidden Disabilities Canada (hdsunflower.com). In addition, Clare gives an update and outlines her program, Happy Space Total Team Work, where leaders and their teams co-create their future of work and explains how the Happy Space Work Style Profile is an integral part of this program. The episode covers the Workhuman 2024 conference and Clare shares her experience and takeaways from speakers such as Baratunde Rafiq Thurston, Esther Perel, and Brené Brown.

CHAPTERS

04:25 Clare’s late autism diagnosis

07:58 the Sunflower and Clare’s new job

12:00 New book, Ask Already and the Happy Space Work Style Profile

15:25 Sharing MS diagnosis

18:18 Happy Space Total Teamwork Program

20:15 Workhuman 2024 highlights

22:23 Being comfortable with silence and “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer

24:22 Barbie Brewer and Building your asynchronous muscle + Vanice Hayes and ERG’s

28:20 Baratunde Rafiq Thurston - Understanding power and its value

29:15 Hustle and grind, and the importance of weaving in personal priorities

33:10 Speakers: Gloria Goins, Peter Danzig and Kamille Washington

37:50 A thank you from Happy Space Podcast

38:40 Brené Brown highlights and how AI ties into HR

41:50 Brené Brown and the epidemic of loneliness

43:55 “I do like humanity, I’m not crazy about people in general” - Brené Brown

45:00 Brené Brown and shame triggers in the workplace

46:03 Brené Brown and grounded confidence

LINKS

Hidden Disabilities

Hdsunflower.com

WorkHuman 2024

The Message of You by Judy Carter

Ep. 45 - Melanie Deziel - Unmasking - Late Autism Diagnosis in Women

Ep. 46 - Ludmila Praslova - Unlocking the Power of Neurodiversity at Work

The Canary Code by Ludmila Praslova

Robbie Samuels’ Website

Ep. 30 - Stephen Shedletsky - Creating a Speak-Up Culture

Speak-Up Culture by Stephen Shedletsky

Pasha Marlowe, neuroinclusion expert speaks about the evolution of language surrounding neurodiversity and clarifies terms like neuroqueer, disorder, gender, and impaired.

In this episode of the Happy Space Podcast, Clare Kumar interviews Pasha Marlowe, a neuroinclusion advocate. The discussion delves into the importance of language in fostering inclusivity in neurodiverse spaces. They explore terms such as 'neurodiverse,' 'neuroqueer' and 'neuro spicy,' and emphasize the significance of personal agency in identity. The conversation also touches on the intersectionality of these terms with disability, gender, and cultural contexts. Pasha highlights the importance of inclusive design and creating spaces where everyone can feel they belong.

Pasha Marlowe, MFT (she/they) received her masters in marriage and family therapy in 1996, way back when "Macarena" was the hit song and now you can't get that song out of your head.

Since then, she has focused on working as a coach with neurodivergent individuals and couples, specifically those who identify as ADHD, Autistic, AuDHD, or Dyslexic. They especially enjoy working with neurodivergent couples who are looking for help with communication, sex/intimacy, betrayal recovery, RSD (rejection sensitivity dysphoria), LGBTQIA+ issues, or PTSD.

She lives in Portland, Maine with her youngest child, her ex-husband, and two doodles.

CHAPTERS

4:40 What is Neurodiversity and Neurodivergency?

8:12 Why Clare is Neurospicy?

12:40 Language surrounding physical and invisible disabilities

18:18 Avoiding body trauma in medical system

21:21 Medical trauma for LGBTQ+ identifying people

25:08 Kassiane Asasumasu’s work and lack of sources for Neurodivergency

27:15 Neurodistinct and new words emerging, neurobelonging and neurological safety

34:27 Inclusive design vs. Universal design

38:44 Interpreters and accessibility

40:52 Gatekeeping in Neurodivergent language

46:34 Neuroqueering

47:57 Sources for further research into Neurodiversity

54:15 Organizations realizing they need to be aware of Neurodiversity

LINKS

Neurobelonging Media Kit

Pasha Marlowe’s Website

My Next Husband Will Be a Lesbian by Pasha Marlowe

Neuroqueering Podcast

Book a Call with Pasha

Brené Brown Quote Source

Ep. 34 - Lisa Whited - Redesigning Work for People and the Planet

Ep. 46 - Ludmila Praslova - Unlocking the Power of Neurodiversity at Work

In this episode Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, founding physician and well-being expert takes us through the seven types of rest, how to know which one you need, and the gifts that come from a well-rested life.

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, founding physician and well-being expert tells us why rest is about more than just sleep and how by through the seven types of rest, you can not only reset your battery, but enjoy a more fulfilling life. Dr. Dalton-Smith takes us through her journey of her own story of burnout and how she made adjustments after realizing that living a successful life full of stress and “producing” wasn’t as important as her own well-being. She gets into the relationship between sleep and rest, the science behind sleep, and other factors that impact everyday rest. She explains how scientific research and her unique view on spirituality has informed the seven types of rest in her book, Sacred Rest.

Trigger Warning: We talk briefly about suicide in this show. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for mental health assistance. In Canada, dial 988. If there is immediate risk, dial 911. For resources where you are, here is a list of global mental health resources:

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mental_health_resources

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician, speaker, and award-winning author. She is an international well-being thought-leader featured in numerous media outlets including Prevention, MSNBC, Women’s Day, FOX, Fast Company, Psychology Today, INC, CNN Health, and TED.com. She is the author of numerous books including her bestseller Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, including insight on the seven types of rest needed to optimize your productivity, increase your overall happiness, overcome burnout, and live your best life. Over 250,000 people have discovered their personal rest deficits using her free assessment at RestQuiz.com. Learn more about Dr. Saundra at DrDaltonSmith.com.

4:04 Empathy and compassion in the conversation about rest

5:33 Secrets of the well-rested

8:36 Pushing back on culture to claim what we need

11:38 Saundra’s personal burnout journey

16:34 The relationship between rest and sleep

20:41 How technology is affecting our rest routines

22:47 Regulating breaks for work sessions and workshops

26:50 Mental-exhaustion, and why it’s so common now

30:40 Increased stimulation in the world and how it’s affecting rest for sensitive people

34:16 How do we find quiet in a noisy world?

36:26 Increasing productivity and connection in conferences and workshops

37:53 Saundra's view of spirituality and how it ties into rest

41:22 How atheists view spirituality

42:30 Next steps for experiencing more rest, Sacred Rest and Restquiz.com

LINKS

Dr. Saundra-Dalton Smith’s Website

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s Personal Rest Retreats

RestQuiz.com

Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra-Dalton Smith

National Speakers...

Heather Hansen, accent bias and linguistic inclusion expert discusses how English speakers can address their own accent bias and how non-native speakers can communicate more effectively in work environments.

In this episode, Heather Hansen, Accent Bias and Linguistic Inclusion Expert shares her experiences with accent bias in three different continents and how cultural attitudes vary across the world. She discusses the universal language, English, and gives English speakers advice on how to handle their own accent bias as well as tips for non-native English speakers on how to communicate more effectively in workplaces. Accent bias brings up many questions like does having a certain accent make you sound less or more intelligent? Can you get rid of accent bias completely? And where does humor fit in? As our world becomes more and more diverse, it’s becoming important to think about communication across cultures, especially in a business context. Join Heather in this exciting conversation about language expression and cultural inclusion.

BIO

Heather Hansen is Managing Director of corporate training firm Global Speech Academy where she helps top professionals show up, speak up, and inspire action in a changing world. She fights microinequities related to language and accent in international teams, and helps global companies build UNMUTED communication cultures where every voice belongs.

Heather is an External Expert in Communication for National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School's Executive Education programs and she is pursuing her PhD in Linguistics at Nanyang Technological University where she is studying the effects of accent bias in multinational organizations.

Not only does Heather study accent bias, she has lived it in three languages across three continents, including over 20 years living abroad. She is also one of the only practitioners in the world actively running training interventions on accent bias in global organizations.

This is partly why Heather has been named to the Thinkers50 Radar 2024 Class - an exclusive list of 30 up-and-coming thinkers whose ideas are expected to make an important impact on management thinking in the future.

Heather is author of the multi-award-winning book, Unmuted, published by Bloomsbury Business. This book outlines her framework for successful global communication in multinational companies. She is also the author of Powerful People Skills and has contributed to three other books published by Marshall Cavendish International.

Heather’s next book (coming in 2025) is a comprehensive guide on how to manage accent bias and promote linguistic inclusion at work.

CHAPTERS

4:40 Heather’s connection to empathy

10:30 How language affects how intelligence is perceived

15:50 Canadian study with children and how they perceive teachers

17:30 Film examples of accent bias

21:20 Our human nature to mimic

24:13 When is language mockery?

29:51 Why are we offended by some language?

31:50 Cognitive dissonance of language and facial expression

32.34 Can accent bias be stopped?

34:00 Accent bias and call centres

36:00 Learning language as children

41:50 Where does humor come into accents and language?

44:00 The increase in diversity in cities and how immigrants can be successful in English

51:11 Cat trick time

51:45 Pacing in language and tips to speak English more effectively

54:30 Accent bias in a business environment

55:40 Life and death situations - accent bias and aviation English

LINKS

University of Toronto Missisauga Study - Children have biases toward different accents

Author of the Canary Code, Ludmila Praslova discusses how moral injury can cause autistic burnout, and how dignity plays a part in setting boundaries in neurodiverse workplaces.

Ludmila Praslova, the author of The Canary Code, discusses the common misconceptions about autism, the importance of recognizing female and high-functioning presentations of autism, and the challenges faced by those seeking diagnosis and acceptance. This episode touches on authenticity, moral injury, and the need for accommodations at work. She also shares about her work on the concept of dignity and how it’s imperative to setting boundaries and better understanding social situations involving neurodivergent individuals. Finally, she talks about the implications of the DSM-V's categorizations, and practical advice for organizations to move forward in their DEI evolution.

Ludmila N. Praslova Ph.D., SHRM-SCP is the author of “The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work” (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, April 2024) and the member of the Thinkers50 Radar 2024 cohort of global management thinkers most likely to impact workplaces.

She is a Professor of Graduate Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Accreditation Liaison Officer at Vanguard University of Southern California.

With over 25 years of experience in developing talent-rich organizations, she is a global inclusive talent strategy expert with deep knowledge of global diversity and neurodiversity.

Her current consulting is focused on creating organizational systems for inclusion and wellbeing and providing neuroinclusion training and support to organizations such as Amazon, Bank of America, and MIT. Dr. Praslova is also the editor of “Evidence-Based Organizational Practices for Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging and Equity” (Cambridge Scholars, 2023) and the special issue of the Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, “Disability inclusion in the workplace: From “accommodation” to inclusive organizational design.”

She regularly writes for Fast Company, Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today, and is the first person to have published in Harvard Business Review from an autistic perspective.

CHAPTERS

7:00 Clare’s self-diagnosis of autism

8:15 Women and the misunderstanding of autism

10:48 Autistic and neurodiverse traits

12:00 Masking and Ludmila’s journey with autism

17:47 Why there are so many autistic actors

19:50 How moral injury affects autistic burnout

21:58 The consequences of moral injury for neurodivergent individuals

24:11 Autistic burnout vs. regular burnout

28:20 What can leaders do to create a better work culture?

32:30 What is behind a leader’s need to control?

36:45 The need for more conscious social interactions in the workplace

39:10 Socializing and masking with autism

43:02 How to honor your own dignity

44:19 How dignity can help establish boundaries at work

46:12 How do we navigate the growing neurodivergent population?

48:53 Autistic people and how empathy is expressed

57:12 The medical model of diagnosis in autism

01:06:04 The Canary Code and where you can find it

LINKS

The Canary Code by Ludmila Praslova

Ep. 45 - Melanie Deziel - Unmasking - Late Autism Diagnosis in Women

Clinical Psychiatrist Jonathan...

Melanie Deziel, keynote speaker, branded content creator, and autistic self-advocate shares her creative insights on how she navigated her late self-diagnosis journey as an autistic adult and what advice she has for others going through their own self-discovery.

In this episode of the Happy Space Podcast, Melanie Diezel, keynote speaker and highly creative autistic self-advocate explores her journey as a late-diagnosed autistic woman. Melanie delves into the challenges and misunderstandings surrounding autism, particularly how it manifests differently in women compared to men. Melanie shares her personal experiences with self-discovery through social media, the role of self-acceptance, and how her diagnosis has transformed her understanding of herself. The discussion covers the importance of recognizing and advocating for neurodiversity, as well as the nuances of diagnosis. The episode also covers insights on the spectrum of autism, the societal perceptions that influence diagnosis, and the significance of language in discussing autism.

As a keynote speaker, author, and award-winning branded content creator, Melanie has spent her career developing the skills to think differently and discover new ways to engage audiences through content.

Having been the first-ever editor of branded content at The New York Times, a founding member of HuffPost’s brand storytelling team, and Director of Creative Strategy for Time Inc's 35 US magazines, Melanie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience on how content can be used as a strategic tool, and how processes can help unlock its power.

She’s supported 30 of the Fortune100 companies with their content (so far!), given keynotes and workshops around the world, and has developed courses for several universities.

She co-founded The Creator Kitchen with fellow marketing speaker Jay Acunzo to help experienced creators continue to pursue creative growth and mastery of craft.

Since 2015, she has worked with some incredible brands and spoken on stages around the world at leading conferences, building her reputation as one of the leading voices in content marketing. Melanie Deziel is frequently named on as a top influencer, expert, and person-to-follow in marketing. You can access her book “Content Fuel Framework” and “Prove It” in paperback, e-book or audiobook form.

CHAPTERS

4:28 How Melanie’s autism journey began

7:35 The differences between diagnosing autistic men and women

11:21 How hyperfixations can be mistaken for autism

14:57 Melanie’s books - Content Fuel Framework and Prove It

16:45 The signs that you may be autistic

20:33 Who are the female autistic role models?

21:36 The discussion around autism and language

24:50 Introversion and extroversion

25:46 Melanie’s inclination to speak on stage despite being autistic

28:52 Self-advocating and accommodating when you are autistic

32:52 Why most women are late-diagnosed autistic

37:15 Self-diagnosing vs. medical diagnosing autism

41:40 Autism and creativity

45:47 RAADS-R Autism Test for diagnosing autism

LINKS

For active links, visit www.clarekumar.com/podcast

Melanie Deziel’s website

EPIC Conference

Late Diagnosed Diaries - Substack

Words Matter: Language preferences in a sample of autistic adults (corr. 87%)

Schueberfour

Content Fuel Framework by Melanie Deziel

Prove It by Melanie Deziel

Phil M. Jones

Temple Grandin

Hannah Gadsby

The Canary Code by Ludmila Praslova

HSP Quiz

Happy Space Inclusivitees (T-shirts)

#nevermindthelabels T-shirt

RAADS-R Test

IMAGE CREDITS (see images on Youtube video)

Phil M. Jones - LinkedIn

Ludmila Praslova - LinkedIn

Temple...

Judy Singer, sociologist and pioneer of the neurodiversity movement discusses the role of language around neurodiverse populations, her views on autism, whether HSP’s fit into the neurodivergent ecosystem, and her feelings about the use of the term “woman” when considering transgendered individuals.

Judy Singer, sociologist and pioneer of the neurodiversity movement, discusses her views on the complexities of language, identity, and the nuances of social change. Singer discusses her contributions to societal dialogue on neurodiversity and her ongoing efforts in academic and public spheres, amidst navigating online controversy. Singer shares her pioneering thoughts on neurodiversity, the critical role of language, and naming in transgender identities. She gives her opinion on autism, and whether HSPs can be considered neurodivergent. The discussion also goes into Judy’s experience living in Sydney, and her future plans aimed at fostering inclusivity.

Judy Singer is an Australian sociologist credited with coining the term “Neurodiversity” in 1997-8 while completing an Honours Thesis at the University of Technology, Sydney. Her thesis, subtitled “a personal exploration of a new social movement based on “neurological diversity”, was the first non- psychomedical academic work to map out what was proving to be the last great civil rights movement to emerge from the 20th century. The movement was based on the pioneering work of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Movement, which was being joined by other neurological minorities who clearly needed a catchy, authoritative banner term

The idea grew out of her lived experience in middle of 3 generations of women whom she then described as “somewhere on the autistic spectrum”.

Like many people “on the spectrum” and especially as a woman seeking work in the early 1970s, Judy experienced difficulty finding employment. Fortunately, like many autistics, she was able to find a career in the burgeoning new field of IT which opened up a new world of opportunities for women.

When Judy became a parent with a child who appeared to have a “mysterious” disability, her career responsibilities compelled her to give up her career. Instead she went back to University to pursue her true interests: anthropology and sociology.

Judy has a long career in community organizing: she was the founder, via the internet, of the world's first support group for people raised by autistic parents, became the secretary of Sydney’s largest support group for the parents of autistic children and a co-founder of Sydney’s only independent social club for teenagers on the spectrum. She was elected a director of Shelter NSW, Australia’s peak body for housing justice but since the rediscovery of her work in 2017, she has been fully occupied with advocacy within the Neurodiversity discourse.

Note: Edited on May 1, 2024 to remove challenging language about mental health.

CHAPTERS

5:53 Judy's thesis and academic background

10:22 The importance of naming

12:10 Neurological diversity to neurodiversity

16:33 I do claim crediting the buzzword neurodiversity

24:03 Neurodiversity is a property of a place, not a person

26:33. Nature is not benign

27:48 What about those who don't care about being so particular about language?

29:47 Where does the trait of high sensitivity fit in?

31:50 Why do we need all these labels? The welfare system and the medical model of disability

38:41 The expansion of autism

43:32 Labels can lead to solidarity

44:12 Faking depression to get help

53:33 The importance of naming yourself

LINKS

Sage Journal: The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory