The Calm Advantage: Chris Voss on Negotiation, Empathy, and the Psychology of Influence

The Calm Advantage: Chris Voss on Negotiation, Empathy, and the Psychology of Influence

Author: Brett Kaufman February 23, 2026 Duration: 58:21

Chris Voss is a former FBI lead kidnapping negotiator, bestselling author of Never Split The Difference, and founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group; a negotiation, training, coaching, and consulting organization that teaches people how to achieve better outcomes in high-stakes conversations.


Recognized globally as a leading authority on negotiation, Chris developed his approach through decades of experience in crisis negotiation. Today, he and The Black Swan Group apply those principles to business, sales, leadership, difficult conversations, and high-stakes communication through The Black Swan Method® and Tactical Empathy®.


Never Split The Difference has introduced millions of readers around the world to Chris's negotiation methodology. Through The Black Swan Group, Chris and his team help people go beyond understanding the concepts in the book and develop negotiation as a practical, repeatable performance skill through training, coaching, practice, and live experiences.


Never Split The Difference has introduced millions of readers around the world to Chris's negotiation methodology. Through The Black Swan Group, Chris and his team help people go beyond understanding the concepts in the book and develop negotiation as a practical, repeatable performance skill through training, coaching, practice, and live experiences.


The Black Swan Group offers in-person negotiation training, live and self-paced online negotiation training, coaching, keynote speaking, and advanced negotiation experiences for business owners, leaders, sales professionals, and other professionals who want to become more effective dealmakers.


Learn from Chris Voss and The Black Swan Group:

Negotiation training and resources: https://www.blackswanltd.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=innerspace

In-person and live training: https://www.blackswanltd.com/live-events?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=innerspace

Online negotiation training: https://www.blackswanltd.com/online-negotiation-classes?utm_source=youtube&utm=social&utm_campaign=innerspace


There's a quiet hum beneath the noise of daily life, a place where genuine understanding begins. Innerspace: Deep, Meaningful Conversations with Brett Kaufman tunes into that frequency. Hosted by entrepreneur and philanthropist Brett Kaufman, this podcast creates a grounded environment for exploring the subtle forces that guide us. The discussions move beyond surface-level advice, delving into personal transitions, moments of unexpected clarity, and the inner signals we often learn to ignore. Brett approaches each conversation with a thoughtful curiosity, whether examining setbacks or breakthroughs, to uncover how these lived experiences fundamentally shape our paths. It’s a series for anyone interested in the interconnected realms of mental fitness and spiritual self-improvement, framed not as lectures but as calm, reflective dialogues. Listening feels like gaining a deeper awareness of the quiet mechanics behind our actions and choices in health, relationships, and purpose. This podcast offers a consistent space to pause and consider what truly moves us from within.
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Innerspace: Deep, Meaningful Conversations with Brett Kaufman
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