Get to know your instructor: Chris Voss, former chief international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI. Contrary to the common view of negotiations as conflicts, Chris advocates for a cooperative approach grounded in understanding and empathy.

Learn the simplicity and effectiveness of mirroring, a key negotiation technique. Chris shows how repeating phrases can not only provide crucial insights but also create a comfortable atmosphere for your negotiating partner.

Discover how to use verbal recognition of emotions as labels to either mitigate negative feelings or amplify positive ones, enhancing the outcome of your negotiation.

Chris illustrates how discussing something as casual as escape room games can reveal deep personality traits, using mirroring and labeling to demonstrate this.

In negotiations, how you convey your message is as vital as the content. Chris delves into the importance of tone and inflection and offers essential advice for digital communications.

Recall the 1993 Chase Manhattan Bank robbery in Brooklyn, where two individuals took three employees hostage. Chris shares audio from his negotiations during this incident, showcasing his methods in a real-world scenario.

Understanding the underlying meaning in behavior and speech patterns can provide more insight than the actual words spoken. This lesson focuses on discerning truth from lies by looking beyond the obvious.

Who really controls the negotiation: the speaker or the listener? Chris reveals how you can subtly dominate the negotiation and shift power in your favor.

Chris role-plays as a father negotiating with his teenage daughter, who wishes to spend a weekend away with her boyfriend. He applies his techniques to align with his “daughter’s” viewpoint.

Negotiations often begin with heightened emotions. Chris teaches how to identify these emotions and transform negative situations into positive outcomes using the accusations audit technique.

While many believe that “yes” is key in negotiations, Chris explains why “no” is actually the more crucial term for reaching your goals.

Dealing with conflicting views is challenging in negotiations. Chris demonstrates how to manage different perspectives without creating animosity.

The outcome of a negotiation can pivot on how you present your argument. Chris guides you through the art of influencing perspectives and understanding the emotional motivators of your counterpart to make a persuasive case.

Effective bargaining doesn’t require aggressive tactics. Chris educates on how to negotiate with finesse, diplomacy, and consideration.

Chris shows the right way to negotiate a salary raise, emphasizing the importance of not centering the discussion on money.

Black swans are unexpected, critical pieces of information in a negotiation. Chris discusses an FBI case where discovering a black swan led to a significant breakthrough.

Chris navigates a high-tension situation where a bank robber, holding a hostage, demands a getaway car within a minute. This simulation demonstrates how critical each decision is in a life-threatening negotiation.

Chris shares his personal reasons for teaching negotiation, highlighting its potential to bring about significant change in one’s life.