The FBI's Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator on How to Get a Raise and More--Chris Voss

The Professionals Playbook

My guest today is Chris Voss who served as the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI. During his career, he worked on over 150 international hostage cases. During his 24 year tenure, he was trained in the art of negotiation by not only the FBI but Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School. He is also a recipient of the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service.

Chris is a master negotiator who has since written one of the top books in the field titled "Never Split the Difference." He also works as an adjunct professor at USC's Marshall School of Business and Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. In our conversation we talk about what it's like to be on the phone with a terrorist, the traits required of a hostage negotiator, how everyone can become better at negotiating, and more. Below are all the topics with associated timestamps:

• Big picture of his career and highlights (min 03:00)
• The moment he starts speaking to a terrorist or criminal (min 04:30)
• Building rapport with the other side (min 09:30)
• The ebbs and flows of a hostage negotiation? (min 11:45)
• Traits of a great hostage negotiator? (min 16:30)
• Why only 5 people on the planet can do this (min 19:45)
• Negotiation he's most proud of (min 23:00)
• Negotiation that didn't go well (min 25:15)
• Reading someone's voice (min 27:45)
• Negotiating in business (min 31:00)
• How to improve your negotiation skills (min 34:30)
• Mistakes most people make (min 38:00)
• Dealing with people who have a big ego (min 39:15)
• Negotiating over email (min 40:15)
• Asking for a raise (min 42:30)
• Negotiating exercises (min 43:45)

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