How to Tilt the Room: The Art of Negotiation, Influence & Leverage with Ken Sterling

What if the key to winning a negotiation isn't being the loudest person in the room—but knowing when to listen, when to pause, and how to build trust?

On this episode of the Super U Podcast, Erik Qualman sits down with attorney, entrepreneur, talent executive, professor, and veteran dealmaker Ken Sterling, author of Tilt the Room. Ken shares the strategies he's developed across law, business, technology, entertainment, and high-stakes dealmaking to help people influence outcomes without becoming aggressive or burning bridges.

Ken breaks down his Tilt the Room framework—trust, influence, leverage, and timing—and explains why successful negotiation is less about overpowering the other side and more about understanding people, preparing for the room, and creating relationships that last beyond a single deal.

The conversation explores how to:

• Build trust and rapport before you ever need leverage

• Read the room and understand the people sitting across the table

• Prepare thoroughly while staying flexible in the moment

• Use silence and the "power of the pause" to your advantage

• Stay calm under pressure instead of resorting to bullying

• Avoid overplaying your hand when you have leverage

• Give difficult feedback without destroying trust

• Stay focused and fully present during high-stakes conversations