Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

"This book blew my mind. It’s a riveting read, full of instantly actionable advice-not just for high-stakes situations, but also for handling everyday conflicts at work and at home." ―Adam Grant, author of Think Again

This international bestseller, with more than 5 million copies sold, offers a field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations―whether in the boardroom, in your community, or at home.

Life is a series of negotiations, and essential negotiation skills are at the heart of collaboration―whether you are a business executive, a salesperson, a parent , a community leader, or a spouse. As a former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss gives you the tools for effective persuasion in any situation: negotiating a business deal, buying (or selling) a car, negotiating a salary, acquiring a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner, or communicating with your children. Taking the power of tactical empathy, active listening, and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any difficult conversation or conflict resolution scenario. This book is a masterclass in influencing others, no matter the circumstances.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference distills the Voss method, revealing the communication skills that matter most when it comes to achieving your goals in both your professional and personal life.

Step-by-step, Voss show you how to:

• Establish Rapport
• Create Trust with Tactical Empathy
• Gain the Permission to Persuade
• Shape What Is Fair
• Calibrate Questions
• Transform Conflict into Collaboration
• Spot Liars
• Create Breakthroughs by Revealing the Unknown Unknowns

Never Split the Difference is your definitive source for defusing potential crises, winning people over, and achieving your goals at work and at home with proven negotiating strategies.

Chris Voss is one of the preeminent practitioners and professors of negotiation skills in the world. He is the founder and principal of The Black Swan Group, a consulting firm that provides training and advises Fortune 500 companies through complex negotiations. He currently teaches at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, and has lectured at other leading universities, including Harvard Law School, the MIT Sloan School of Management, and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Tahl Raz uncovers big ideas and great stories that ignite change and growth in people and organizations. He is an award-winning journalist and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Never Eat Alone. When not researching or writing, he coaches executives, lectures widely on the forces transforming the new world of work, and serves as an editorial consultant for several national firms. He invites readers to e-mail him at tr@tahlraz.com and to visit his website at www.tahlraz.com.