--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my negotiating course, I tell my…" description: "\"“In my negotiating course, I tell my students that empathy is “the ability to recognize the perspective of a counterpart, and the vocalization of that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/chris-voss-5746_compassion_in-my-negotiating-course-i-tell-my-stude_1988166.jpg" --- # In my negotiating course, I tell my students that empathy… ![“In my negotiating course, I tell my students that empathy is “the ability to recognize the perspective of a counterpart, and the vocalization of that recognition.” That’s an academic way of saying that empathy is paying attention to another human being, asking what they are feeling, and making a…” quote by Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/chris-voss-5746_compassion_in-my-negotiating-course-i-tell-my-stude_1988166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/chris-voss-5746_compassion_in-my-negotiating-course-i-tell-my-stude_1988166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/chris-voss-5746_compassion_in-my-negotiating-course-i-tell-my-stude_1988166.jpg) > ““In my negotiating course, I tell my students that empathy is “the ability to recognize the perspective of a counterpart, and the vocalization of that recognition.” That’s an academic way of saying that empathy is paying attention to another human being, asking what they are feeling, and making a commitment to understanding their world. Notice I didn’t say anything about agreeing with the other person’s values and beliefs or giving out hugs. That’s sympathy. What I’m talking about is trying to understand a situation from another person’s perspective. One step beyond that is tactical empathy. Tactical empathy is understanding the feelings and mindset of another in the moment and also hearing what is behind those feelings so you increase your influence in all the moments that follow. It’s bringing our attention to both the emotional obstacles and the potential pathways to getting an agreement done. It’s emotional intelligence on steroids.”” [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empathy means recognizing and verbalizing another’s perspective without agreeing with their values, while tactical empathy adds strategic insight to influence outcomes. **In simple terms:** Understanding others’ feelings to guide decisions. Key Takeaway Use empathy to uncover hidden concerns. Themes communication influence emotional intelligence Mood thoughtful strategic Type advice instructional When to use this quote - business negotiations - conflict resolution - team leadership - customer service - lawyer-client meetings Key Concepts tactical empathy perspective taking negotiation strategy Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance empathy with firm boundaries? - When does tactical empathy become manipulation? A Different Perspective Empathy alone may not change deeply held beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Emotional intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-intelligence/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“We employed our tactical empathy by recognizing and then verbalizing the predictable emotions of the situation. 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Notice I didn’t say anything about agreeing with the other person’s values and beliefs or giving out hugs. That’s sympathy. What I’m talking about is trying to understand a situation from another person’s perspective. One step beyond that is tactical empathy. Tactical empathy is understanding the feelings and mindset of another in the moment and also hearing what is behind those feelings so you increase your influence in all the moments that follow. It’s bringing our attention to both the emotional obstacles and the potential pathways to getting an agreement done. 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