Christopher Voss Quotes

The only sound approach to collective bargaining is to work out an agreement that clarifies the rights and responsibilities of the parties, establishes principles and operates to the advantage of all concerned.

Successful diplomats must always be conscious of other parties' need to know how an agreement serves their interests and how it can be sold back home.

Success of negotiations cannot be guaranteed. If there is no attempt, then failure is guaranteed.

You have to understand that every negotiation isn't about taking everything off the table. It's cliche, but you have to try and make sure the other side feels good and you feel good. Because in my business, when I make a deal, it just means once we're done negotiating, we have to go off and work together.

I'd like to add that negotiating is not something to be avoided or feared - it's an everyday part of life.

That's what happens in the world. You get offered superior contracts.

In a deal, you give and take. You compromise. Then you grab the cash and catch the next train out of town.

The best way to make a good deal is to have the ability to walk away from it.

My job is to come up with something that you like and you agree with that you would play wholeheartedly. If we disagree, I may not be doing my job correctly.

What is negotiation but the accumulation of small lies leading to advantage?

Conciliation is not capitulation, nor is compromise to be deemed equivalent to imbalanced concession.

If you sit down with me, I guarantee I will accept any terms you offer for a contract.

Deal-making goes on with any job.

Negotiations can create conditions that can lead to solutions.

It's much better to have a good agreement than a quick agreement.

We always find that taking a fairly hard-line position means our membership gets the best deal possible.

You can never in negotiations be totally predictable. The minute you’re predictable, they’re going to figure out how to take advantage.

It’s hard to cut a deal if you don’t know who to make a deal with.

Know what you want to achieve prior to starting to negotiate. It's the golden rule but the one most people fail to heed. Without a plan, you allow the opposing party to define your goals instead of the other way around.

When you negotiate a deal, you clearly know a lot about the other person.

In most negotiations, you can't attribute success or failure in negotiations to one side.

The 'that's right' breakthrough usually doesn't come at the beginning of a negotiation. It's invisible to the counterpart when it occurs, and they embrace what you've said. To them, it's a subtle epiphany.

You don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.

Each party should gain from the negotiation.

I see negotiations as an honest attempt to reach a deal that's great for everyone at the table. But sometimes, for whatever reason, that's impossible. You need to accept that possibility-don't make a deal for the sake of making a deal. If you do, chances are it will fall apart later anyway, with costs and headaches for everyone involved. And once you walk away, don't come back.