Never Split the Difference

Something bothers me about this book, and I can't figure out what. Maybe it's the fact that everything is presented as a technique (which in themselves seem great) and not part of a broader worldview. I was never left with the impression that the author authentically cares about the people he's negotiating with. And that is, for me, the difference between manipulation and empathy.

Voss shares his "magic formulas" for negotiating. He seems to think they're foolproof, and befuddle the academics, but they seem easily gameable if you identify someone's using one of his strategies. Still, there's value in understanding anchoring, mirroring, and tactical empathy, so despite its weaknesses, this book gets a 4.5 from me and goes into my toolbox and reread pile.