Indian-origin executive Sharran Srivatsaa recently shared a remarkable story from his first day in America, where he successfully negotiated with a man who pulled a knife on him.
“See people first, and situations become negotiable,” wrote Sharran Srivatsaa. He shared his story in a series of visuals.
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“True story. A man pulled a knife on me my first day in America. I was 18, alone, and broke,” he wrote. Srivatsaa continued, “He told me to give him all of my money, and at the time, I only had $100 on me. In a stroke of either madness or genius I started negotiating with my assailant.”
What did he tell the mugger?
Srivatsaa recalled, “I told him I knew he didn't want to hurt me or anyone else. I empathized with him, acknowledging he'd probably fallen on hard times,” adding that he then gave him an alternate proposal.
{{/usCountry}}Srivatsaa recalled, “I told him I knew he didn't want to hurt me or anyone else. I empathized with him, acknowledging he'd probably fallen on hard times,” adding that he then gave him an alternate proposal.
{{/usCountry}}He elaborated, “My proposal was I'd give him my $100 bill if he'd give me $50 back. That way I could get to school and he wouldn't go to jail for assault.”
The Indian-origin executive said that the mugger agreed to his plan and gave him two “crumpled $20s and a $5” after taking his money. The person even said to him, "You're the weirdest person I've ever mugged.”
He recalled what the night taught him, “Even in fear, empathy gives you leverage. In every conversation, the other person already has an internal monologue playing on a loop,” adding, “Your job isn't to fight that story. It's to join it and help steer it. If you can see through their eyes, you'll never need to push to be understood.”
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “Love this!!!! Empathy always helps ignore fear, frustration, and stress. The hidden, simple answer.” Another added, “This is an awesome story, Sharran. Empathy is a lost art, and I 100% agree. Keep crushing it!”
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A third commented, “That’s a crazy and super super inspiring story, thank you so much for sharing.” A fourth expressed, “This really hits! Empathy doesn’t just make us better humans; it also helps us navigate challenges and make smarter decisions. This story shows that even small, mindful choices can lead to big lessons. Thank you for sharing!”