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Negotiating Systems
Not Designed for You
When systems were not built with you in mind, influence doesn’t come from playing by the rules—it comes from learning how to reshape the game.
Keynote Description
Most women are taught to negotiate as individuals: ask for more, advocate for yourself, lean in.
But what if the deeper challenge isn’t individual confidence—it's the systems themselves?
Many of the institutions we operate within—corporations, governments, financial systems, and even negotiation norms—were built in eras when women were excluded from power. As a result, women are often negotiating inside structures that were never designed with them in mind.
In this eye-opening keynote, Susan W. Coleman explores how women can move beyond simply “playing the game better” to changing the game itself.
Drawing on negotiation theory, gender research, and real-world case studies, she shows how women can identify hidden structural dynamics, mobilize collective influence, and reshape negotiations at the system level.
The result is not just better individual outcomes—but transformational change.
Outcomes & Experiences
Target Audience
Women’s leadership programs
Professional associations
Corporate women’s networks
Universities and graduate programs
Policy, diplomacy, and public leadership communities
Participants will
Understand how institutional structures shape negotiation outcomes
Recognize the hidden dynamics that often disadvantage women in negotiation
Learn strategies for shifting negotiations from individual to systemic levels
Develop tools for mobilizing allies and coalitions in complex environments
Leave empowered to negotiate not just within systems—but to transform them