Fight Less, Win More: How Master Negotiators Influence Hearts, Minds, And Deals From the Bestselling Authors of Never Split the Difference - Hardcover

Smith, Jonathan B.; Gaunt, Derek

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1529990394 ISBN 13: 9781529990393

Publisher: Cornerstone Press, 2026

Synopsis

'Fight Less, Win More is a massively useful book for just about anyone who has to deal with the desires, foibles, and idiosyncrasies of other human beings.' ― Daniel Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of To Sell Is Human, Drive, and The Power of Regret

Your handbook for mastering the negotiating skills in the multimillion-copy bestseller Never Split the Difference.

You're in a negotiation right now. In fact, you've been negotiating all day.

That email to your boss? Negotiation. That conversation with your teenager? Negotiation. That interaction with the barista who made your morning coffee? Negotiation too.

Most people don't realise they're negotiating until it's too late - until they've already lost ground, damaged relationships, or walked away empty-handed. But what if you could transform every interaction into an opportunity to get what you want while making others feel valued?

In this groundbreaking follow-up to the global bestseller Never Split the Difference, negotiation experts Jonathan B. Smith and Derek Gaunt reveal the missing piece that's been holding you back: a practical handbook for applying Tactical Empathy - the ability to understand and influence people at a level they don’t even realise - to every sensitive conversation in your life.

Discover how to:

• Begin disarming defences by making your counterpart feel genuinely understood.
• Acquire critical information by mastering the 5 Levels of Listening that uncover hidden motivations
• Spot game-changing 'Black Swans' that swing seemingly impossible negotiations to your advantage
• Defuse tension and navigate high-pressure situations with confidence using the Core Four skills
• Get more of what you want without burning bridges or compromising your integrity

Forged in high-stakes hostage crises and refined in thousands of business negotiations, these field-tested techniques aren't based on academic theory ― they're proven methods that work when the pressure is on.

This book isn’t about tricks or manipulative tactics or winning at all costs. It's about a fundamental shift in how you approach human interaction: It's not about you ― it's about them.

When you master this mindset and the practical skills that flow from it, you'll transform not just your negotiations but your entire life. You'll resolve conflicts faster, build stronger relationships, and achieve outcomes you never thought possible.

Inside you'll find:

• Real-world case studies showing how these skills work in everyday situations
• Step-by-step guidance for implementing each technique
• Low-stakes practice exercises to build your confidence
• Actionable strategies for identifying and overcoming common negotiation traps

Stop leaving money on the table. Stop enduring unnecessary conflict. Stop accepting less than you deserve.

This isn't just another business book―it's the missing manual for every negotiation in your life.

Get your copy of Fight Less, Win More today and start turning every conversation into a path to success.

About this title

About the Author

Jonathan B. Smith (Author)
Jonathan B. Smith is a leading business strategist who has used the Entrepreneurial Operating System with more than 150 high growth entrepreneurial companies in 1,500- plus sessions to help them improve strategy, execution, and results. He is also a negotiations trainer with the Black Swan Group, created by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss (author of Never Split the Difference), and has served as a delegate with the U.S. Department of State’s Global Entrepreneurship Program to Jakarta and Athens.

Derek Gaunt (Author)
Derek Gaunt is one of America’s top experts on hostage negotiation and a trainer and personal coach of corporate, government, and law enforcement personnel with the Black Swan Group. A twenty-nine-year law enforcement veteran who spent the majority of his career as a member and leader of hostage negotiation teams, he now teaches leaders around the world how to leverage hostage negotiation practices and principles for immediate results. He is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences across the country and the author of Ego, Authority, Failure: Using Emotional Intelligence Like a Hostage Negotiator to Succeed as a Leader.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cornerstone Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1529990394
• ISBN 13: 9781529990393
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304