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What if the same techniques used to talk armed kidnappers into releasing hostages could help you close a better vendor deal, handle a tough salary conversation, or stop a star employee from walking out the door?

In this episode of Books I Read, Rahul breaks down Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss — one of the most practical and eye-opening books on negotiation ever written. Forget splitting the difference and meeting in the middle. This book throws out everything you thought you knew about negotiation and replaces it with a system built on human psychology, tactical empathy, and razor-sharp listening.

Whether you are running a restaurant, managing a franchise, leading a team, or sitting across the table from a supplier who just told you prices are going up — this episode gives you tools you can use the very next day.

In this episode you will learn:

→ Why leading with logic in a negotiation almost always backfires — and what to do instead
→ The Mirroring technique that makes people open up without you asking a single direct question
→ The difference between "That's right" and "You're right" — and why it changes everything
→ How Calibrated Questions (How and What, never Why) defuse defensiveness and get you real answers
→ The Accusation Audit — how naming the other person's fears out loud before they voice them completely shifts the room
→ The Ackerman Model — a step-by-step formula for any price negotiation, with a real rupee-based example

This one is especially relevant for leaders in India — where hierarchy, relationships, and emotion make every tough conversation that much more layered. Rahul walks through Indian examples from vendor meetings, franchise reviews, kitchen team dynamics, and salary discussions throughout.

If you have ever walked out of a negotiation thinking you should have held your ground — or walked in not knowing how to start — this episode is for you.


EPISODE TAGS

Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss, negotiation skills, Books I Read, leadership podcast, business books India, negotiation tactics, restaurant leadership, QSR management, communication skills

#BooksIRead #NeverSplitTheDifference #ChrisVoss #NegotiationSkills #LeadershipPodcast #BusinessBooksIndia #RestaurantLeadership #QSRManagement #CommunicationSkills #BooksForLeaders

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