Book Review: “Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It”

Submitted by Penny Forward Founder and CEO, Chris Peterson

Publisher’s Description

This international bestseller, with more than 5 million copies sold, offers a field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom, in your community, or at home.

Life is a series of negotiations, and negotiation is 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 to be effective 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 persuasion, empathy, active listening, and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any difficult conversation or challenging situation. This book is a masterclass in influencing others, no matter the circumstances.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference distills the Voss method, revealing the skills that matter most when it comes to achieving your goals in both your professional and personal life.

Step by step, Voss shows you how to:

• Establish rapport
• Create trust with tactical empathy
• Gain permission to persuade
• Shape what is fair
• Calibrate questions
• Transform conflict into collaboration
• Spot liars
• Create breakthroughs by revealing the unknown unknowns

Never Split the Difference is your definitive source for defusing potential crises, winning people over, and achieving your goals at work and at home.

Reviewer’s Thoughts

It may seem strange for a financial counselor to be reviewing a book on communication. You might be thinking that communication has very little to do with making or managing money. In reality, communication is woven into nearly every financial decision we make. Whether you’re haggling for a lower price, trying to persuade an employer to hire you, managing a difficult employee, or asking for a raise, this book offers practical tools you can use immediately. Even if you’re not doing any of those things, the techniques in this book can help you communicate more effectively with children, friends, and family members.

This is a very easy read. The authors explain that the techniques are grounded in science, but intentionally simplified so they could be taught to law enforcement officers who don’t have much patience for academic theory. The message is clear: if cops can learn and use these skills under pressure, so can you. I agree.

Reading this book alone won’t magically make you a better communicator. What will make a difference is being intentional about practicing the techniques and applying them in everyday conversations. The book is engaging, with fascinating stories from high-stakes FBI negotiations used to illustrate key points, along with examples from business and parenting. It’s practical, approachable, and immediately relevant. This is a must-read.

Book Details

Title: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It

Authors: Chris Voss, Tahl Raz

Print length: 288 pages

Audio length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Find This Book In Accessible Formats

Audible:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Never-Split-the-Difference-Audiobook/B01CF5O89G?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

NLS BARD: DB89439
https://nlsbard.loc.gov/bard2-web/search/DB89439/?prevPage=search_books&from=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2F%3Ftype%3Dbook%26initialFormat%3Dall%26search%3DNever%2BSplit%2Bthe%2BDifference%26initialLanguage%3Den