Send us a text

In this episode of The Coaching Book Club, hosts Christy Stuber and Ken McKellar unpack powerful insights from Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, revealing how FBI hostage negotiation tactics can elevate your coaching skills.

From active listening to emotional labeling and building trust, Voss’s strategies offer coaches actionable tools for fostering deeper client relationships, guiding breakthrough moments, and helping clients navigate challenging decisions.

Key Insights in This Episode:
✅ Why assumptions can hinder coaching conversations — and how adopting a “hypothesis guide” mindset strengthens client trust.
✅ How Voss’s ‘Three Yeses’ model — Counterfeit, Confirmation, and Commitment — helps coaches distinguish true buy-in from surface-level agreement.
✅ The neuroscience behind labeling emotions — and how this simple technique can shift clients from overwhelm to clarity.
✅ How tactical empathy — a core negotiation skill — mirrors coaching presence and supports meaningful change.

Drawing from her experience running a suicide hotline, Christy reflects on the overlap between crisis negotiation techniques and effective coaching strategies — including the power of presence, empathy, and meeting clients where they are.

Whether you're a coach looking to refine your skills, a manager learning coaching strategies, or a leader seeking better communication techniques, this episode offers actionable insights to improve your practice.

📚 Tune in now to discover how negotiation insights can enhance your coaching skills and unlock powerful client breakthroughs.