03/05/2026
Book 5/ 2026
Never split the difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz: 2016
"We just want what's fair..."
"Okay. I apologize. Let's stop everything and go back to where I started treating you unfairly, and we'll fix it."
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, open-ended questions, active listening, and intuition to the next level, this book gives you the competitive edge in any conflict resolution scenario.
After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers, gang leaders, and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. By reinforcing that the key to a successful negotiation isn't being right, but having the right mindset, Voss takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped him and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most – when people’s lives were at stake.
Rooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, this masterpiece will give you a competitive edge in any discussion.