Rehearse the Uncomfortable Parts

The sentences you dread saying out loud are the ones to practice most. The ask: "Based on my research and what I have delivered this year, I was targeting $X." The pushback response: "Help me understand what would change the number." The walk-away: "I appreciate the offer, but the gap is too wide for me to accept."

Record yourself saying each one. The first few takes will sound like someone else. After enough reps, the words feel like yours — which is exactly when your counterpart starts hearing them as true.

Rehearsal is not about memorizing lines. It is about getting your voice used to the moment it has to carry the number.