Chris Voss - Never Split the Difference book review

In a nutshell (274 pages), this is a masterclass in negotiation. There are a lot of books and texts on negotiation. This is a textbook. Inside the book, there are points of view, theories, and negotiating tactics to help you negotiate better, no matter the topic, the stakes (Voss negotiated with terrorists and in all sorts of scenarios in his career), and who is on the other side of the table or the telephone line.

What I got out of it

There was so much I got out of this book that I would constantly stop mid-page or chapter and bother my wife with some version of “This is great, Voss says …!!”. That said, I feel the most important elements are the mindset he proposes and the tactics. The mindset is one that many people would shy away from for all sorts of ethical based reasons, but Voss does a fantastic job of rounding out his theory in an ethical and sound way.

What was difficult

I mentioned this is a textbook, it reads like a good book, but there is so much good information that you have to take your time and read it thoroughly to get all you can out of it. Some of the stories told in the book are truly bone-chilling, absolutely awful, but I don’t believe that Voss is being sensational. It seemed to me that the extreme stories he tells are more to put the average persons’ problems and negotiations into context.

Recommendation

Don’t listen to this in audiobook format while driving or doing house chores. Sit down with the book and a highlighter or pen-like you’re sitting down to study for an upcoming exam. The best part is that normal everyday life can provide all the pop-quizzes and exams you could hope for. Everything is actionable.