THE FUSE

A recent car-buying experience left me thinking. When a salesperson pulled a bait-and-switch on pricing, I could feel my body react. My face got hot, my heart raced, and my voice got louder. Before things escalated further, another salesperson stepped in, staying remarkably calm, listening, and steering the conversation to a fix. That salesperson later told me that catching far more heat than I had shown was just part of the job, without a hint of defensiveness. How did that calm look so natural? Was it learned?