Never Split the Difference

Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

by Chris Voss, Tahl Raz

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published May 16, 2016 by HarperBusiness.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-240780-1

(52 reviews)

A former FBI hostage negotiator offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating – effective in any situation.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a kidnapping negotiator brought him face-to-face with bank robbers, gang leaders and terrorists. Never Split the Difference takes you inside his world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss 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, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.

6 editions

Phil in SF reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

possibly some good advice, but it's presented as a buffet

3 stars

Voss premise is that negotiating is an emotional exercise rather than an intellectual one. so he presents a bunch of techniques that he says are designed to subtly play on people's emotional processing. I assume they work well if skillfully wielded, though i can't be sure. but he never puts it all together into a coherent method. the techniques remain a grab bag. lastly, the book does not present any way for the reader to practice the techniques, though he talks about such practice in classes he teaches. consequently all except type a personalities are likely to find it intimidating.

amythos reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference

4 stars

This is the first book I have read about negotiation. It was easy to read with lots of easy to understand examples that connected all theoretical points of the author in real life.

agwe reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Interesting and very useful book. It has very useful and easy to implementing fundamentals.

schmavery reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Wasn’t exactly what I expected. Had some interesting insights but not many that I would personally use frequently in day-to-day life. Not a bad book to have around so that you can flip through it for reference if you need to negotiate a big deal though.

Woile reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Good read, lots of practical stuff

WiFlag reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It' on 'GoodReads'

5 stars

Absolutely amazing.

Allen reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I enjoyed this book and the stories of Chris Voss as an FBI hostage negotiator were fascinating. However, I don't see this book as being particularly applicable to the business situations that I find myself in (groups of careful people with lots of checks and balances on both sides). His techniques seem more focused on one-on-one negotiations. Still very useful techniques; they just don't cover all situations.

Martijn Reintjes reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Awesome book.
Lot;s of great learnings and tactics on negotiating in business, but also in the rest of life.

Jero reviewed Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Review of 'Never Split the Difference' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was an eye opening book and from my standards an excellent one compared to other negotiation books I've read. the main difference with others is the wealth of practical, synthesized examples from years' worth of high stakes, life or death negotiation experience. Above all human nature is key in this topic, and emotion is what ultimately drives our decisions. Chris Voss connects these truths to actionable yet simple tactics and a framework that I am completely sure will help any of us if applied. Definitely a stand out book.