Chris Voss: The FBI’s #1 Negotiator on Winning Without Saying a Word

So if you're assertive, your big problem is you're going first, you're, you know, you're hitting them hard, you're driving deals away from the table, you're not finding out the better deal that could have been there. Stop giving advice and just let people just be a sounding board. Don't give advice at all. Stop. I know you're scared and I know you're worried about coming out.

And I know you're worried about getting hurt when you're coming out. Here's what it's going to look like when you come out so that you don't get hurt. That is the voice of former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, and this is High Performance, the podcast that turns the lived experiences of the planet's highest performers into your life lessons. So imagine this: you're trying to close a deal, you've prepped your pitch, you're ready to impress, and Chris Voss, the lead hostage negotiator with the FBI, says to you, don't speak first. Instead,

Say one thing. Sounds like you've got something in mind. That'll stop me in my tracks, Jake, because what he's really saying is slow down, listen, and create space. This episode isn't about high-stakes FBI standoffs. It's about how we can all learn to deal better with people.

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