Praxis Potentia Est: Why Practice is the True Power Behind Negotiation Mastery
At The Negotiation Club, we live by a simple but profound Latin phrase:
"Praxis Potentia Est" ... Practice is Power.
In a world that often rewards surface-level confidence and empty theory, this motto stands as a challenge: real influence comes from repetition, feedback, and skill-building over time. Negotiation, like any powerful tool, must be honed.
In this article, we explore why practice—not theory—is the gateway to true negotiation mastery. We’ll also delve into historical examples, modern research, and visual insights to prove that practice isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.
1. The Problem with Theoretical Learning Alone
Walk into most corporate training rooms or university lecture halls and you’ll find negotiation being taught via PowerPoint slides, scripted case studies and long discussions about tactics. What you won’t often find is regular, structured, pressure-tested practice.
And that’s the flaw.
- You wouldn’t learn to swim from a book.
- You don’t become persuasive by reading about persuasion.
- And you certainly don’t become a confident negotiator without negotiating.
This is why The Negotiation Club was founded — to bridge the gap between knowing and doing.
2. Why Practice is Power: The Science
Neuroplasticity & Skill Acquisition
Scientific studies in cognitive psychology and neuroscience consistently reinforce the idea that repetition builds neurological pathways.
- According to Dr. Anders Ericsson (the mind behind the “10,000-hour rule”), “deliberate practice” is the critical ingredient that separates experts from amateurs.
- In negotiation, this means structured simulations, real-time decision-making, observing responses, and making iterative improvements.
“The Learning Journey: Why Practice Outperforms Passive Learning”
Try our FREE NEGOTIATION TASTER to practice your skills!
3. Historical Figures Who Proved That Practice is Power
Julius Caesar – Strategic Practice Before Power
Before Caesar crossed the Rubicon and redefined Rome, he spent years honing his skills—military, political, and rhetorical. He practiced his speeches meticulously and even hired specialists to help improve his timing, projection, and persuasion techniques. It was no accident that his words swayed the Senate as much as his sword.
Michael Jordan – Practice Obsessed
Jordan wasn’t just naturally talented—he was obsessively committed to practice. Teammates noted he was always the first to arrive and last to leave. His negotiation skills—on and off the court—were built on mental rehearsal, physical discipline and constant reflection.
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career… I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan
Cicero – The Master Negotiator of Rome
Marcus Tullius Cicero, one of the greatest orators in Roman history, believed in repeated vocal drills, argumentation practice and reflective journaling. He once said:
“It is practice alone that brings perfection.”
...even in 50 BCE, the link between power and practice was acknowledged by the greats.
4. How The Negotiation Club Embodies Praxis Potentia Est
Every workshop, every Negotiation Card®, and every Club meeting revolves around one central idea: practise until it’s second nature.
Our approach:
- Micro-negotiations – timed 4 to 10 minute negotiations to build focused skills
- Role Rotation – negotiator, observer, coach
- Feedback-First Formats – learn through reflection and review
- Multivariable Scenarios – to simulate real-world complexity
- Tactic-Focused Drills – repetition of specific negotiation tactics & techniques (e.g., anchoring, summarising, using silence)
"We don’t just teach.... We rehearse... We pressure-test.... We evolve!"
5. The Modern Application: Practice as a Strategic Advantage
In today’s world:
- The buyer negotiates price based on scripts.
- The supplier counters with prepared levers.
- The employee negotiates salary.
- The founder negotiates equity.
In all cases, confidence comes from knowing you’ve practised the situation before.
Those who practise are ready....
Those who don’t… improvise and hope!
6. Final Thoughts: Let Practice Be Your Power
The phrase 'Praxis Potentia Est' is not just a slogan. It’s a challenge.
A challenge to:
- Show up.
- Try again.
- Embrace mistakes.
- Learn actively.
In negotiation, as in life, the edge doesn’t come from knowing more.
It comes from doing more.
Join Us and Practise Powerfully
Want to embody Praxis Potentia Est in your career?
👉 Join one of our Negotiation Club Practice Sessions (online or in-person)
👉 Download our Negotiation Cards to start practising today
👉 Contact us about launching a Negotiation Club inside your business
You don’t need more theory.....You need more practice....
"Practice is Power"
Try our FREE NEGOTIATION TASTER to practice your skills!
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