--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Negotiation serves two distinct, vital…" description: "\"“Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and includes almost any interaction where each pa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg" --- # Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life… ![“Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and includes almost any interaction where each party wants something from the other side.” quote by Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg) > ““Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and includes almost any interaction where each party wants something from the other side.”” [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. Negotiation gathers information and shapes behavior, occurring whenever parties seek something from each other. **In simple terms:** Negotiation is about learning and influencing. Key Takeaway Focus on listening and guiding outcomes. Themes communication strategy relationships Mood analytical pragmatic Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - business deals - personal conflicts - sales pitches Key Concepts psychology information exchange Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn before speaking? - How do you influence ethically? A Different Perspective Power imbalances can limit true dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behavior Influencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-influencing-3911599/) [Includes Interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/includes-interaction-3911601/) [Influencing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influencing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Functions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-functions-1989042/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Negotiation Serves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation-serves-3911600/) ## Related quotes > [The science and technology of how this life functions and what we can do with it, is what we refer to as yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/the-science-and-technology-of-how-this-life-functions-and-what-we-can/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [Illusions are crucial to the maintenance of life functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-ballantyne/illusions-are-crucial-to-the-maintenance-of-life-functions/) [Sheila Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-ballantyne/) > [“The kidnapper who was negotiating with Julie seemed extremely perplexed by her persistent questions, and he kept asking for time to think. That slowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/the-kidnapper-who-was-negotiating-with-julie-seemed-extremely/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Notice we said 'It sounds like . . .' and not 'I'm hearing that . . .' That's because the word 'I' gets people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/notice-we-said-it-sounds-like-and-not-i-m-hearing-that-that-s-because/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“The Downs hijacking case came to epitomize everything not to do in a crisis situation, and inspired the development of today’s theories, training, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/the-downs-hijacking-case-came-to-epitomize-everything-not-to-do-in-a/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Here are some other great standbys that I use in almost every negotiation, depending on the situation: What about this is important to you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/here-are-some-other-great-standbys-that-i-use-in-almost-every/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [Deterrence is still fundamentally about influencing an actor's decisions. It is about a solid policy foundation. It is about credible capabilities. It is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-robert-kehler/deterrence-is-still-fundamentally-about-influencing-an-actor-s/) [C. Robert Kehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-robert-kehler/) > [One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-surest-ways-of-making-a-friend-and-influencing-the-opinion/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Know the difference between impressing people and influencing them. Impressing them changes what they think. Influencing them changes what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-the-difference-between-impressing-people-and-influencing-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Influencing people is dangerous. Their acts and thoughts become your illegitimate children. You can't get away from them and Heaven knows what they mayn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bibesco/influencing-people-is-dangerous-their-acts-and-thoughts-become-your/) [Elizabeth Bibesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bibesco/) > [To be effective at selling ideas, at being a lobbyist, influencing other people, you have to be very sure of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/to-be-effective-at-selling-ideas-at-being-a-lobbyist-influencing/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [God's Word must be so strongly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/god-s-word-must-be-so-strongly-fixed-in-our-minds-that-it-becomes-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [This is more in regards to celebrities. What we've got to understand is that we are the influencers of the hip-hop culture, the black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetrius-shipp-jr/this-is-more-in-regards-to-celebrities-what-we-ve-got-to-understand/) [Demetrius Shipp, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetrius-shipp-jr/) > [Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leadership-is-not-about-titles-positions-or-flowcharts-it-is-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or whether it's positive or negative, you are influencing those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/each-day-you-are-leading-by-example-whether-you-realize-it-or-not-or/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) ## More by Chris Voss > [“Most of the time, you should be using the positive/playful voice. It’s the voice of an easygoing, good-natured person. Your attitude is light and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/most-of-the-time-you-should-be-using-the-positive-playful-voice-it-s/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“By repeating back what people say, you trigger this mirroring instinct and your counterpart will inevitably elaborate on what was just said and sustain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/by-repeating-back-what-people-say-you-trigger-this-mirroring-instinct/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Every case is new. We must let what we know - our known knowns - guide us but not blind us to what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/every-case-is-new-we-must-let-what-we-know-our-known-knowns-guide-us/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“The Downs hijacking case came to epitomize everything not to do in a crisis situation, and inspired the development of today’s theories, training, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/the-downs-hijacking-case-came-to-epitomize-everything-not-to-do-in-a/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“In any interaction, it pleases us to feel that the other side is listening and acknowledging our situation. Whether you are negotiating a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/in-any-interaction-it-pleases-us-to-feel-that-the-other-side-is/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Here are some other great standbys that I use in almost every negotiation, depending on the situation: What about this is important to you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/here-are-some-other-great-standbys-that-i-use-in-almost-every/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“If I just ask for a volunteer, my students sit on their hands and look away. You’ve been there. You can almost feel your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/if-i-just-ask-for-a-volunteer-my-students-sit-on-their-hands-and-look/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“when you phrase a label as a neutral statement of understanding, it encourages your counterpart to be responsive. They’ll usually give a longer answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/when-you-phrase-a-label-as-a-neutral-statement-of-understanding-it/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“There are essentially three voice tones available to negotiators: the late-night FM DJ voice, the positive/playful voice, and the direct or assertive voice. Forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/there-are-essentially-three-voice-tones-available-to-negotiators-the/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Instead of addressing his grumpy behavior, you acknowledge his sadness in a nonjudgmental way. You head him off before he can really get started.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/instead-of-addressing-his-grumpy-behavior-you-acknowledge-his-sadness/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“Notice we said 'It sounds like . . .' and not 'I'm hearing that . . .' That's because the word 'I' gets people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/notice-we-said-it-sounds-like-and-not-i-m-hearing-that-that-s-because/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“What were needed were simple psychological tactics and strategies that worked in the field to calm people down, establish rapport, gain trust, elicit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/what-were-needed-were-simple-psychological-tactics-and-strategies/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“they should be teased out. Labeling is a helpful tactic in de-escalating angry confrontations, because it makes the person acknowledge their feelings rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/they-should-be-teased-out-labeling-is-a-helpful-tactic-in-de/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“List the worst things that the other party could say about you and say them before the other person can. Performing an accusation audit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/list-the-worst-things-that-the-other-party-could-say-about-you-and/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“There’s one powerful way to quiet the voice in your head and the voice in their head at the same time: treat two schizophrenics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/there-s-one-powerful-way-to-quiet-the-voice-in-your-head-and-the/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) [Explore all 94 Chris Voss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) ## More Influencing quotes > [One of the surest ways of making a friend and influencing the opinion of another is to give consideration to his opinion, to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/one-of-the-surest-ways-of-making-a-friend-and-influencing-the-opinion/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [God's Word must be so strongly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/god-s-word-must-be-so-strongly-fixed-in-our-minds-that-it-becomes-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [Deterrence is still fundamentally about influencing an actor's decisions. It is about a solid policy foundation. It is about credible capabilities. It is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-robert-kehler/deterrence-is-still-fundamentally-about-influencing-an-actor-s/) [C. Robert Kehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-robert-kehler/) > [Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/leadership-is-not-about-titles-positions-or-flowcharts-it-is-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Each day you are leading by example. Whether you realize it or not or whether it's positive or negative, you are influencing those around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/each-day-you-are-leading-by-example-whether-you-realize-it-or-not-or/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) > [This is more in regards to celebrities. What we've got to understand is that we are the influencers of the hip-hop culture, the black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetrius-shipp-jr/this-is-more-in-regards-to-celebrities-what-we-ve-got-to-understand/) [Demetrius Shipp, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetrius-shipp-jr/) > [To be effective at selling ideas, at being a lobbyist, influencing other people, you have to be very sure of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-green/to-be-effective-at-selling-ideas-at-being-a-lobbyist-influencing/) [Duncan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-green/) > [Influencing people is dangerous. Their acts and thoughts become your illegitimate children. You can't get away from them and Heaven knows what they mayn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bibesco/influencing-people-is-dangerous-their-acts-and-thoughts-become-your/) [Elizabeth Bibesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bibesco/) > [Know the difference between impressing people and influencing them. Impressing them changes what they think. Influencing them changes what they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-the-difference-between-impressing-people-and-influencing-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How am I influencing so many people on this stage rather than influencing the ones that I have back home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/how-am-i-influencing-so-many-people-on-this-stage-rather-than/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/setting-an-example-is-not-the-main-means-of-influencing-another-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For me, words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bengis/for-me-words-are-a-form-of-action-capable-of-influencing-change/) [Ingrid Bengis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bengis/) > [Leadership is the art of controlling while politics is the art of influencing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lameck-k-kosgei/leadership-is-the-art-of-controlling-while-politics-is-the-art-of/) [Lameck K Kosgei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lameck-k-kosgei/) > [What I look forward to the most is influencing an individual to go out into the world and make the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-dream/what-i-look-forward-to-the-most-is-influencing-an-individual-to-go/) [The-Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-dream/) > [Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bengis/words-are-a-form-of-action-capable-of-influencing-change/) [Ingrid Bengis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bengis/) [Browse all 68 Influencing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influencing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and includes almost any interaction where each party wants something from the other side.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Voss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-life-functions-information/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Influencing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-life-functions-information/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/chris-voss-5746_influencing_negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-li_2868450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life functions—information gathering and behavior influencing—and…” — Chris Voss", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Voss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Negotiation serves two distinct, vital life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-life-functions-information/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/negotiation-serves-two-distinct-vital-life-functions-information/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```