Chris Voss spent years talking people down from the highest-stakes situations imaginable before turning that skill into one of the most widely used negotiation frameworks in business. He joined Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour alongside fellow guest Joe Polish for a conversation about persuasion, trust, and what actually gets people to say yes.
The discussion ranges from spotting a bad deal early to what makes real trust possible in any relationship, with Chris Voss and Joe Polish trading perspectives built from very different careers.
About Chris Voss
Chris Voss is a former FBI lead international hostage negotiator who spent decades handling kidnapping and hostage cases before founding The Black Swan Group to teach his negotiation methods to businesses and individuals. He's the author of Never Split the Difference, the bestselling book that turned his field experience into a widely taught framework for negotiation and persuasion.
On this episode, Chris Voss is joined by Joe Polish, founder of Genius Network and a previous Digital Social Hour guest in his own right, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves between negotiation tactics and bigger-picture lessons on character and connection.
What Chris Voss and Sean Kelly Talked About
- Chris Voss's framework for spotting easy, lucrative, fun opportunities instead of painful, draining ones.
- Why he believes trust in any relationship comes down to predictability over time.
- How tactical listening and clear communication change the outcome of high-stakes negotiations.
- His take on what separates a genuinely great teacher from an average one.
- Why connection, not pressure, is the real key to closing any deal.
- His perspective on the risk of self-promotion that isn't backed by substance.
- How Chris Voss and Joe Polish think about attracting the right people and opportunities.
- Their shared take on choosing growth over simply settling for the status quo.
Why This Conversation Matters
Few conversations blend real stakes with practical takeaways like this one: a career built on de-escalating literal life-and-death situations, applied to the everyday negotiations of business and relationships, with Joe Polish's perspective adding another dimension.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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