Chris Voss: FBI Hostage Negotiator | Lex Fridman Podcast #364

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

March 10, 2023

Duration

2h 10m

Channel

Lex Fridman Podcast

Watch on YouTube

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📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage and crisis negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:

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EPISODE LINKS: Chris's Instagram: https://instagram.com/thefbinegotiator Chris's Twitter: https://twitter.com/fbinegotiator Chris's Website: https://blackswanltd.com Chris's Masterclass: https://masterclass.com/classes/chris-voss-teaches-the-art-of-negotiation Never Split the Difference (book): https://amzn.to/3J5scNC PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ Full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 Clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41 OUTLINE: 0:00 - Introduction 0:59 - Negotiation 6:50 - Reason vs Emotion 21:45 - How to listen 30:35 - Negotiation with terrorists 32:43 - Brittney Griner 34:21 - Putin and Zelenskyy 41:41 - Donald Trump 48:52 - When to walk away 53:06 - Israel and Palestine 1:00:45 - Al-Qaeda 1:06:15 - Three voices of negotiation 1:14:40 - Strategic umbrage 1:17:46 - Mirroring 1:20:57 - Labeling 1:28:24 - Exhaustion 1:30:38 - The word "fair" 1:33:34 - Closing the deal 1:35:32 - Manipulation and lying 1:37:26 - Conversation vs Negotiation 1:48:45 - The 7-38-55 Rule 1:52:45 - Chatbots 2:02:07 - War 2:03:39 - Advice for young people SOCIAL:

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• Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Chris Voss

  guest

• Lex Fridman

  host

• Narrator

  other

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Lex Fridman Podcast, featuring Chris Voss and Lex Fridman, Chris Voss: FBI Hostage Negotiator | Lex Fridman Podcast #364 explores chris Voss Explains Tactical Empathy: Emotions, Negotiation, and Conflict Resolution Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator, joins Lex Fridman to unpack how high‑stakes negotiation principles apply to everyday life, business, and geopolitics. He argues that all decision-making is fundamentally emotional and that “tactical empathy” — deeply understanding another’s perspective without agreeing — is the core tool of effective negotiation. They discuss kidnapping and terrorism cases, geopolitical conflicts like Ukraine and Israel–Palestine, the dynamics of difficult conversations, and the neuroscience behind feeling understood. Voss emphasizes integrity, setting boundaries without aggression, and practicing empathy in low‑stakes situations to prepare for high‑stakes moments.

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