Willkie Farr & Gallagher · April 18, 2026

Post-Keynote Resources

The Hidden Power

of Empathy

The Art of Negotiation — Applied

Thank you for joining today's keynote. Below you'll find the core concepts from the session, resources to deepen your practice, and a direct link to stay connected with Chris and The Black Swan Group.

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Chris Voss

Former FBI Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator
Bestselling Author & Founder, The Black Swan Group

It's not a sin to not get the deal — it's a sin to take a long time to not get the deal.

— Chris Voss

From Today's Keynote

Core Concepts to Apply Now

These are the foundational tools Chris introduced today. Each one is immediately applicable — in the boardroom, across the negotiating table, and in every high-stakes conversation.

Tactical Empathy

The ability to deeply recognize and validate your counterpart's perspective and emotions — not to agree with them, but to understand them well enough to shape their decision-making. This is the foundation of the Black Swan Method.

The Power of "No"

Counterintuitively, pushing for "No" rather than "Yes" creates safety and clarity. Georgetown research shows No-oriented questions are 23% more effective at driving decisions. "Have you given up on this?" opens doors that "Do you agree?" closes.

"That's Right" — The Turning Point

When your counterpart says "That's Right," you've achieved the deepest form of understanding. This moment — driven by Oxytocin and Serotonin — signals genuine trust and opens the path to real collaboration.

3 Types of Deals

Every negotiation leads to one of three outcomes: the deal you should take, the deal you could take, and the deal you should never take. Clarity on which type you're facing changes everything about your approach.

Labeling & Summaries

Labeling emotions ("It seems like…") and delivering accurate summaries of your counterpart's world creates the "That's Right" moment. These tools are the bridge between common ground and Tactical Empathy.

Leave Everyone Willing to Deal Again

The ultimate measure of a negotiation is not just the outcome — it's whether the relationship survives and strengthens. Great negotiators build trust that outlasts any single deal.

Be great with Tactical Empathy — not just good with common ground.

— Chris Voss

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FBI Lead International Kidnapping Negotiator — 24+ years

📖

Author, Never Split the Difference — Wall Street Journal Bestseller

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Lecturer at Harvard Law School & Georgetown University

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Founder, The Black Swan Group

About Chris Voss

The World's Leading Negotiation Authority

Chris Voss is a globally recognized negotiation authority and the bestselling author of Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It — a seminal work that reshaped how business leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals approach every high-stakes conversation.

With more than 24 years in the FBI, Chris rose to become the lead international kidnapping negotiator, charged with resolving some of the most sensitive and dangerous cases across the globe. In these life-or-death environments, he developed and refined a game-changing methodology built on Tactical Empathy — the ability to deeply recognize and validate counterparts' perspectives and emotions in order to build trust and shape their decision-making.

After retiring from the FBI, Chris and his son Brandon founded The Black Swan Group, where they help business leaders and professionals master the art of negotiation. His clients range from high-net-worth entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and individuals seeking to maximize trusted relationships for collaborative, life-changing results.

Chris's mission is simple yet profound: to empower people to negotiate better outcomes by understanding the human dynamics that drive every decision.

Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Never Split the Difference

Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

5M+Copies Sold

#1WSJ Bestseller

30+Languages

The book that started it all. Drawing on his experience resolving international kidnappings and hostage crises, Chris distills the most powerful negotiation techniques ever developed into a practical field guide for business and life. If you haven't read it yet — or want to revisit it with fresh eyes after today — this is where to start.

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