Darcy Wells

Q: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your career journey?

A: I started my career in Canada at Cisco Systems in a graduate sales training programme and spent four years in account management before moving to London. After working at a SaaS startup in customer experience and sales, I joined Salesforce as an Account Director, managing relationships with around 20 existing customers. My role involves both internal and external negotiations every day, which inspired me to invest in my professional development through LSE’s Executive Education programme.

Q: What led you to choose this course at LSE?

A: Negotiation is a critical part of my role, and while I had experience already, I wanted to strengthen my confidence and skills with a structured approach. I chose LSE because of its excellent reputation and the positive feedback from my colleagues who had undertaken short courses previously. I was particularly drawn to the hands-on nature of the programme and the active simulations, as that’s how I learn best.

Q: How would you describe your experience on the programme?

A: The programme was interactive, engaging, and challenging. I expected a traditional classroom setting, but instead, the faculty constantly involved us in discussions and simulations, encouraging us to think beyond our own roles and apply new techniques to real-world scenarios. The feedback and debrief sessions were also invaluable for refining my approach.

Q: What learnings will you apply to your day-to-day role moving forward?

A: One key takeaway for me has been moving away from centring emotion in negotiations and focusing instead on understanding the interests and positions of the counterparty. The course helped me identify areas for growth, such as being bolder when putting proposals together and closing deals, as well as gave me practical tools to build confidence in those situations. It’s incredibly relevant and immediately applicable to my role.

Q: What advice would you give to other professionals considering the programme?

A: I would absolutely recommend investing in yourself and taking a weeklong course at LSE. Step away from work, participate actively in the discussions, and challenge yourself to approach each scenario from different perspectives - you’ll get the most out of the programme that way.