Men Talking Mindfulness: Mental, Physical, & Emotional Fitness to Elevate Performance and Resilience for Leaders and Teams Under Pressure!

A man walked into a room with a gun, a grievance, and nothing left to lose. The person who talked him down had spent 20 years learning one thing: the moment you make someone feel understood, the whole situation changes.

Meet Derek Gaunt; he spent 29 years in law enforcement, 20 of those on hostage negotiation teams in the DC metro area. Now an instructor and expert coach at the Black Swan Group — Chris Voss’s firm — Derek brings the same tactical empathy that resolved life-or-death standoffs into every boardroom, difficult conversation, and parenting moment he trains. He’s the author of Ego Authority Failure and the newly released Fight Less, Win More — a practical companion to Never Split the Difference. In this episode, Derek joins Jon and Will to break down what tactical empathy really is, why your tone does 13 times more work than your words, and how to get more of what you want by getting people to say no.

IN THIS EPISODE:
1.  What tactical empathy actually is — and why 95% of people aren’t getting it anywhere
2.  No-oriented questions: why asking for no gets you more than pushing for yes
3.  The three levels of listening — and which one most people are stuck in
4.  The three voices: accommodator, late-night FM DJ, and the BISS voice to never use
5.  The blue flame, ego authority failure, and why rapid promotion creates toxic leaders

More about Derek Gaunt:

1.  Website: https://www.blackswanltd.com
2.  Book: Ego, Authority, Failure: Using Emotional Intelligence Like a Hostage Negotiator to Succeed as a Leader (2nd Edition) — on Amazon and blackswanltd.com
3.  Book: Fight Less, Win More: How Master Negotiators Influence Hearts, Minds, and Deals (co-authored with Jonathan B. Smith, foreword by Chris Voss) — on Amazon
4.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-gaunt-2943a824/



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Produced by Robert Lopez | https://www.cratesaudio.com/

Creators and Guests

JM
Host
Jon Macaskill
Retired Navy SEAL Commander, Mindfulness Teacher/Trainer - Exec Coach - Badass Loving Dude!!
WS
Host
Will Schneider
Mental Fitness Teacher helping people & companies to master their minds, CoHost-Men Talking Mindfulness Podcast, Stanford Ambassador of Compassion, Top Mindfulness Teacher NYC

What is Men Talking Mindfulness: Mental, Physical, & Emotional Fitness to Elevate Performance and Resilience for Leaders and Teams Under Pressure!?

Men Talking Mindfulness is dedicated to empowering men to embrace their true selves with bravery and authenticity. Our mission is to guide them on a journey of continual learning, developing self-love, and meaningful living. We work to inspire men to lead lives that they can look back on with pride and to create legacies that align with their deepest values. We are committed to cultivating a space where vulnerability is strength, being yourself is the norm, and where every man can unleash their potential to live a life of exceptional impact and fulfillment.

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