From my experience, staying composed in tense negotiations starts with self-awareness. Recognize emotional triggers and pause before reacting. Focus on facts, not feelings, and reframe challenges as problem-solving opportunities. Maintain steady tone and body language. Listen actively, show empathy, and steer discussions toward win-win outcomes.

When things get tense in a discussion, take a deep breath and stay calm. Focus on actively listening instead of reacting. Think about the other person’s perspective and find common ground. If it gets too heated, suggest a short break to cool down and regain composure. Importantly don't keep going on about the issues or problems but rather focus on finding solutions in a calm and harmonious manner.

In a tense negotiation, managing emotional triggers is key to staying composed. Pause before reacting — a deep breath can prevent impulsive responses. Reframe negativity by focusing on interests, not emotions. Use tactical empathy — acknowledge emotions without conceding (e.g., "I see this is important to you."). Stay solution-focused by steering back to facts and shared goals. Mirror and label emotions — Chris Voss, ex-FBI negotiator, suggests phrases like "It seems like you’re frustrated?" to diffuse tension. Maintain a neutral tone — emotion feeds emotion. Take breaks if needed; even a brief pause can reset the mood. Finally, prepare for triggers in advance — anticipate hot buttons and plan responses. Stay calm, stay strategic.

Before going into negotiations understand that you have to leave your emotions at the door. The more rational part of your brain, the frontal lobe, calculates a course of action based on facts and data, with input from your emotions. During negotiations it is imperative to pay special attention to this part of your brain and your more rational approach to thinking. Prior to going into a negotiation you must remind yourself that emotional analysis and emotive reactions are helpful to get a broader perspective, but during this meeting they are not needed and you will review the situation fully with your emotions after the meeting.

Try to breathe before responding. It gives you time to think of a proper response too. Even though a remark might be directed at you, try to picture yourself observing the situation with the remark directed at someone else. It will give you a different perspective.