Quote
“No deal is better than a bad deal.”
— Chris Voss, in Never Split the Difference (2016) · Never Split the Difference →
Why it was said
Chris Voss puts this old negotiating maxim to work in Never Split the Difference as part of his case against the reflex to compromise. For Voss, meeting halfway often produces an outcome neither side wanted, and being willing to walk away is what keeps a negotiator from accepting one.
What it actually means
Compromise feels fair, which is exactly why it is dangerous. When you split the difference, you often end up with a deal that serves nobody's real interests, just a number in the middle of two opening positions. The sentence gives you permission to say no. A negotiator who believes any deal beats no deal has already lost leverage, because the other side can sense it. Voss's point is not to be stubborn but to know your bottom line before you sit down, so that walking away is a real option rather than a bluff. Paradoxically, being ready to leave is what makes better deals possible.
How to use it
- 1Before any negotiation, write down the point at which you will walk away, and why.
- 2When you feel the pull to meet in the middle, ask what the middle actually gets each side.
- 3Practise saying "That doesn't work for me" calmly, and then stop talking.