How to Negotiate for What You Need: tips and tools for ND brains with expert John Richardson Ep 86

How to Negotiate for What You Need: tips and tools for ND brains with expert John Richardson Ep 86

Author: Sarah Kesty, Brain Tools School May 13, 2026 Duration: 40:44

Hey Team!

Whether we realize it or not, we spend a lot of our communication in negotiations: asking for what we need, helping family members do chores or homework, simply working with other humans, we're negotiating a lot. But, as it turns out, we're not so great at negotiating, as it's about more than just "communicating better."

Co-author of "Never Settle," John Richardson, shares memorable and easy ways to more effectively get what we want and need, while preserving relationships and feeling regulated. I learned a lot from John, and our time together was fun, even with sometimes very heavy topics.

I think you'll enjoy picking his brain with me!

All my love,

Sarah


Never Settle is on sale now!

More about John: John Richardson teaches negotiation MIT’s Sloan School of Management, and previously at Harvard Law, and was an associate at the Harvard Negotiation Project. He was coauthor with Roger Fisher and Alan Sharp of Getting It Done and Negotiation Analysis with Howard Raiffa and David Metcalfe. He is also a graduate of the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.

Richardson's path to negotiation began with family tragedy. His father lost his older brother Syd—a pilot killed over Germany in WWII—which devastated his dad for life. Decades later at Harvard Law, John met Roger Fisher, co-author of Getting to Yes, who had flown weather missions in that same war. Fisher's plane inadvertently helped the Enola Gay drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima while schoolchildren were still outside—a burden Fisher carried forever. It drove his life's mission: save the world from war through better negotiation. That same mission now applies to the daily "wars" in our relationships—the conflicts that damage marriages, fracture families, and leave everyone feeling unheard.


Connect with me!

My book is out in the wild, and it's changing lives! Order Growing Executive Function at ⁠Solution Tree ⁠or on ⁠Amazon⁠.

I'm also training educators and organizations across this beautiful globe, and we're finding improving executive function is game-changing! If that sounds like what your school or organization needs, ⁠reach out⁠! Sarah at sarahkesty.com.


Ever feel like your brain's filing system is in a state of permanent chaos, or that getting from an idea to action feels like an impossible maze? That's where executive function comes in-it's the mental toolkit we all use to manage our attention, organize our tasks, and plan our days. On The Executive Function Podcast, host Sarah Kesty from Brain Tools School moves beyond dry theory to offer genuinely helpful, fun, and effective strategies. Each episode feels like a practical conversation, whether you're looking to coach yourself through a project, support a teen struggling with organization, or help a child learn to manage their time. Sarah brings a palpable passion to the topic, sharing inspiration drawn from real-world experience with neurodivergence, ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities. This isn't about fixing what's broken; it's about building on strengths and discovering new ways to thrive in daily life. Tune in for a down-to-earth mix of brain science and actionable tips that make the challenges of executive function feel a bit less daunting and a lot more manageable. You'll find this podcast is a supportive resource for families and individuals alike, all delivered with a sense of warmth and understanding that makes complex concepts accessible.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Executive Function Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Problem Solving and How to Not Hate Math, with Ben Orlin Ep 58 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:27
Hey Team, Whether you love or hate math, this episode with author and educator Ben Orlin is for you! We talk about problem solving, the purpose and process for getting stuck, and how to support yourself when faced with c…
Ep 57 Hidden Hazard: Work to do Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:35
Hey team! You know how sometimes it takes about 1000 steps before you actually start on the intended task? That's work to do work! On this week's show, learn how to recognize and reduce work to do work. It will be a game…
Mindset Tricks for Actually Using Executive Function Strategies Ep 56 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:05
Team,You know that excited feeling you get when you get new tools or make a new plan that you hope will make things all easy? Yeah, I do, too. And then, sometimes that excitement goes away and we kind of lose steam for d…
College for students of all abilities, with Elizabeth C Hamblet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:08
Team, 1 in 4 college students has a disability! This episode teachers you how to maximize success as a student with a physical or learning challenge. Guest Elizabeth C Hamblet has done the leg work and knows how to empow…
Ep 54 Taming the Cost of College with Brad Baldridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:45
Hi, Team! Join us to explore the process of planning and paying for college--there are some surprises and lots of hope in this episode! As with any process, getting ready to manage college tuition involves a lot of execu…
Ep 53 Are you accidentally playing on hard mode? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
Hi team! Executive function is tricky enough, and some of us accidentally make it harder by doing (or not doing) things that challenge our brains in unnecessary ways. This week, let's uncover some easy wins so you're not…
Ep 51 Time Management Hacks (that you haven't heard of yet!) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:05
Time management might be one of the most requested executive function areas I support, and yet it still is misunderstood! Join me today to hear strategies for adults and kids who are working on better using--and planning…