Chris Voss and the Power of Tactical Empathy

Chris Voss isn’t your average communication guru—he’s a former FBI hostage negotiator. When life was on the line, Voss didn’t argue or persuade.

He listened. Hard.

The key skill? Tactical empathy.

That’s not soft empathy. It’s strategic. It’s the kind of empathy that earns trust without surrendering power.

The formula:

1. Mirror. Repeat the last 2–3 words someone just said.

2. Label. Name their emotion: “It sounds like you’re frustrated.”

3. Pause. Let them respond before moving forward.

It works because it makes people feel seen and safe—even in high-stakes conflict.

Try this today:
In your next disagreement, don’t explain your point.
Instead, say: “Sounds like this really matters to you.”
And wait.

That pause? That’s where trust begins.