Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Negotiation isn’t an argument you win with better logic. Chris Voss, who spent decades talking people out of hostage situations for the FBI, treats it as emotional reconnaissance. The person across the table—whether they’re holding a hostage or holding out on your salary—isn’t a spreadsheet weighing options. They’re moved by fear, by the need to feel understood, and above all by the urge not to lose. Your job isn’t to out-reason them; it’s to draw out what they actually want, make them feel safe enough to say it, and use that intelligence to reach a better deal than any tidy compromise.

Chris Voss and Tahl Raz on SummaryShelf

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It