Dispatches from an Internet Pioneer

Deep Dive: The Power of Silence in Negotiation

In this episode, we break down why leaders and negotiators often lose power the moment they start talking too much — and how real influence is built through silence, patience, and deep listening. Drawing on lessons from Chris Voss’s tactical empathy, Chester Karrass’s emphasis on patience as leverage, and vivid real-world examples from higher education and high-stakes negotiations, we reveal how over-talking leaks your strategy and hands control to your counterpart. You’ll learn to replace pitching with calibrated questions, transform silence into your sharpest tool, and build a culture where listening uncovers hidden truths that shift outcomes. If you’re talking, you’re losing — but when you listen, you win.