Earners,

This book will change your life. It certainly changed mine.

Negotiation is a topic I frequently discuss because it significantly influences how many millions you will earn throughout your lifetime. One of my biggest inspirations is former FBI Negotiator Chris Voss. My favourite book of all time is "Never Split the Difference," which he released several years ago.

This book single-handedly led to thousands upon thousands more earnings that I otherwise wouldn't have obtained had I not read it. As far as I'm concerned, it's the greatest book on effective negotiation ever. So today, I'm going to give a quick summary of it and how it’s helped me so you can decide if you should go out and read it!

How To Get What You Want (Without Having To Bulldoze People)

"Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss is a simply wonderful book that opens the reader's eyes to the world of negotiation in a profound way. Drawing from his extensive experience as a former FBI hostage negotiator, Voss walks you through principles that extend beyond the realm of negotiation, into every sort of human interaction you can think of.

He goes deep into his experiences with high-stakes negotiations, from life-threatening hostage scenarios to million-dollar corporate deals. Voss shares his experiences, revealing the realities of these situations while also demystifying the complex strategies and techniques employed during such intense confrontations. Yet, his teachings are not restricted to these extreme situations. He relates these principles to everyday negotiations, altering your perception of what a negotiation truly entails. These anecdotes helped me understand the concepts he was trying to convey, simplifying them unlike many theory-based negotiation books out there (but don't get it twisted, everything in this book is backed by science!).

At the heart of "Never Split the Difference" is empathy. Not the superficial corporate "empathy" that gets thrown around all the time, but genuine empathy and how that's the key to achieving the best outcome. Contrary to traditional negotiation tactics that typically promote compromise, Voss champions empathy as the cornerstone of effective negotiation. He argues that negotiation is not a zero-sum game with clear winners and losers. Instead, it's an opportunity for all parties to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes; to expand the pie for everyone's satisfaction rather than fight over smaller slices.

The Groundbreaking Topics

A key concept that Voss introduces is "tactical empathy." It involves recognizing and acknowledging the other party's emotions and understanding how these feelings shape their decision-making. It is NOT about sympathizing or feeling "sorry" for the other side or even agreeing with them about everything; it's simply about fully understanding HOW they feel. He teaches you how to speak to people in a way that reflects your understanding back to them. I can't tell you how powerful these tools have been for me in my business negotiations. It challenges the conventional view that negotiations are battles to be won, promoting instead a collaborative process grounded in mutual understanding and respect.

The book is filled with real-life examples from Voss's dynamic FBI career. These anecdotes serve as practical illustrations of the principles he espouses. They offer a comprehensive understanding of his approach, making the book not just educational, but also immensely engaging and thought-provoking.

"Never Split the Difference" also serves as a practical guide, offering a host of effective tools and techniques for negotiation. The "mirroring" technique, for instance, involves repeating the last few words the other party said to elicit more information. The "late-night FM DJ voice" suggests using a calming, soothing voice to put the other party at ease. The "accusation audit" involves listing and addressing all potential negative assertions the other party could make about you, disarming potential sources of conflict before they arise. The accusation audit alone has been a huge breakthrough for me, as it really eases the tension so you can work more effectively on deals.

It is more than just a negotiation guide; it serves as a manual for human interaction. It provides principles applicable in all life aspects, from professional interactions to personal relationships. Also, I can’t understate how much this has just helped me with life in general, social settings etc.

I adore this book; it changed everything for me. If you're interested, check out their website here where they offer a plethora of free resources. I genuinely hope you give this book a read or listen. I promise it will be a game-changer for you. Until next time...

Earn more,

Nate