Rehearse and Verify: Confidence Built on Evidence
When Confidence Comes from Evidence
Most people rehearse to sound convincing.
Professionals rehearse and verify accuracy.
The goal is not to impress the room. It is to make sure your words, facts, and tone all align before you walk in.
That is what separates improvisation from preparation.
When you practice deliberately, you are not performing.
You are calibrating.
Rehearsal Is Quality Control
Think of rehearsal like testing a system before launch.
You are looking for weak points: tone, pacing, assumptions. You tighten them up before they fail under pressure.
Here is a simple process you can run today:
Record yourself — video and audio. Zoom works perfectly.
Say your opening lines out loud. Do not just read them. Speak them as if the other party were in the room.
Watch your playback.
Is your tone clear or defensive?
Are you breathing steadily or rushing?
Does your posture project calm authority or tension?
This is not about looking polished. It is about looking real.
Your goal is to match your intent to your delivery.
Verify Every Fact, Number, and Assumption
Rehearsal exposes tone. Verification protects credibility.
Go line by line through your materials.
Double-check every number.
Confirm every date, figure, and data point.
If you quote something, make sure it is sourced and current.
Accuracy builds credibility.
Credibility builds trust.
And trust makes your position harder to shake, even when others disagree.
When you enter steady, factual, and concise, your presence communicates authority.
Why This Step Matters
Rehearsal and verification are what professionals rely on when stakes are high because they remove guesswork.
Rehearsal builds self-awareness
Verification builds credibility
Together, they build trust
That trust is not given. It is earned through precision.
And precision does not come from talent. It comes from preparation.
Before You Walk In
Ask yourself:
Have I tested how I sound?
Have I verified what I am saying?
Do my tone and facts align with my intent?
If the answer is yes, you are ready to negotiate with confidence that is grounded in evidence, not emotion.
Next in the Series
This post is part of the Enter The Leader: Negotiation Prep Series
1️⃣ The Luxury of a Planned Negotiation
2️⃣ The Purpose of Preparation
3️⃣ Master Your State
4️⃣ Build Your Framework
5️⃣ Understand Their World
6️⃣ Rehearse and Verify
Explore the full series at www.entertheleader.com/blog
