FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss on Negotiating Like Life Depends on It

September 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In a 1990s FBI hostage negotiation unit, a new agent was told to go volunteer on a suicide crisis hotline. He went not to save lives but to learn a skill — and he discovered that manipulative callers, the kind that burn most volunteers out, fascinated him. “Instead of being burned out by the manipulative, I was intrigued by them,” Chris Voss recalls. That hotline became the origin of the Black Swan Method, the negotiation system Voss later codified as the FBI’s lead international hostage negotiator and then as author of Never Split the Difference. In this conversation with David Morrow on Cyber Crime Junkies, Voss explains the core mechanisms of tactical empathy, calibrated questions, and the accusation audit — and how to practice them in real life, whether you are facing a Russian extortionist or a skeptical client.

Empathy is not agreement — it is a tactical tool

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What you'll learn

1 (02:07) **Introduction and Chris Voss's Background** - David Morrow welcomes Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and author of *Never Split the Difference*.
2 (05:47) **Origin Story: From Iowa to the FBI** - Chris explains how a movie inspired his law enforcement career and his path from police officer to FBI agent.
3 (08:07) **The Art of Finding Informal Mentors** - Chris shares how to identify and learn from mentors by actually following their advice.
4 (11:45) **Entering Hostage Negotiation** - Chris describes his transition from SWAT to hostage negotiation after a knee injury and an initial rejection.
5 (16:07) **The Hotline as a Master Class** - Volunteering on a suicide hotline became the foundation of the Black Swan Method, teaching the power of empathy without sympathy.
6 (19:41) **Codifying the Black Swan Method** - Chris explains how the FBI's eight core negotiation skills evolved into his more refined techniques, including the Accusation Audit.
7 (23:52) **How to Practice Negotiation Skills** - Chris gives practical advice on where to safely experiment with these techniques to build confidence.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

A Don’t-miss episode with an exclusive interview with FBI hostage negotiator, Chriss Voss. Discussing how to negotiate like life depends on it. Author of “Never Split the Difference” and business negotiation expert, this Chriss Voss interview has exclusive insights on the founding of his leading interview style and negotiation methods.

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