01 Book

Learn how to apply counter-intuitive techniques from hostage negotiation into any situation - business or personal.

02 Online Course

For those who are ready for a deeper dive into Never Split the Difference but can’t make it to a live event,

03 Live Seminars

Get equipped with the tactical empathy tools you need to be heard, overcome objections, and close deals with fewer counter-offers.

Never Split the Difference

Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

Everything we’ve previously been taught about negotiation is wrong: you are not rational; there is no such thing as ‘fair’; compromise is the worst thing you can do; the real art of negotiation lies in mastering the intricacies of No, not Yes. These surprising tactics—which radically diverge from conventional negotiating strategy—weren’t cooked up in a classroom, but are the field-tested tools FBI agents used to talk criminals and hostage-takers around the world into (or out of) just about any scenario you can imagine. In NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator Chris Voss and co-author Tahl Raz break down these strategies so that anyone can use them in the workplace, in business, or at home.

This book blew my mind.  It’s a riveting read, full of instantly actionable advice—not just for high-stakes negotiations, but also for handling everyday conflicts at work and at home.

—Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE

Our Latest Posts

Where smart communicators go to get the negotiation edge.

  • crisis negotiation

    In an ideal world, negotiation would be easy, tensions wouldn’t exist, and we’d all get along at the table just fine.

    But reality paints a different picture, and crisis negotiations rear their ugly head sooner or later. Think about how many people have had to sit down at the table to figure out how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic over the past several weeks.

    Though crisis negotiations are inevitable, you can avoid making critical mistakes if you have the right approach. 

    With that in mind, here are four common crisis negotiation mistakes—and what you can do to find the better way forward.

    By Brandon Voss

  • Show you're ready for a leadership role

    In an ideal world, leadership roles would fall into your lap without any heavy lifting.

    But that rarely happens. If your goal in your career is to become a leader, you have to take proactive steps. Sure, you can tell your superiors that you’re set on climbing the ladder, but as we all know, actions speak louder than words.

    Becoming a leader is hard work. It takes time and it takes skill. But it also takes patience.

    If you want a leadership role, here’s what to do.

    By Derek Gaunt

  • Negotiations over Zoom

    As more people are working from home, virtual conferences, meetings, and even negotiations have become a necessity. However, Zoom and other videoconferencing platforms can feel unnatural or even uncomfortable. You’re faced with something that is neither a phone call nor an in-person meeting. 

    Here are the three keys to winning a negotiation in a Zoom environment:

    By Chris Voss