Derek Gaunt

Gaunt calls negotiation a guided discovery process and names silence as the most overlooked tactic.

“Negotiation is a guided discovery process. If you are talking, you are not discovering anything”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 54:13

Gaunt says that as a hostage negotiator he opened calls by acknowledging fear and asking how the situation arose rather than issuing commands.

“First question is, I know you're scared to death. How did we get here today? And immediately it catches them off guard”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 13:28

Gaunt advises against leading with your goal because your decision is based on incomplete information and may change.

“I never encourage leading with your goal and objective because your goal and objective may change based on what you learn within that conversation”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 13:57

Gaunt revises the maxim about explaining, saying the problem is explaining before the other side has explained and given permission.

“The reality is if you're explaining too early, you're losing. What does too early mean? Before you've let them explain and before you've been given permission by them”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 17:14

Gaunt says reciprocation is among the most powerful aspects of tactical empathy, as people feel obligated to return the favor.

“That's probably one of the most powerful things aspects of tactical empathy is reciprocation. People feel obligated to return the favor to you”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 10:23

Gaunt argues that global conflicts stem from one side refusing to acknowledge, not agree with, the other side's perspective.

“One side refusing to articulate their recognition of another side's perspective”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 5:32

Gaunt says price-cut demands often signal that the counterpart was burned by someone similar in the past.

“When somebody says cut your price or go into a competitor, what they're telling you is, I've been burned by somebody that looks just like you in the past”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 29:33

Gaunt warns that ignoring negative signals in a deal leads counterparts to bail on agreements later.

“The negative emotions left unaddressed never die”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 20:46

Gaunt argues that tone of voice alone can raise or lower a counterpart's emotional state and that yelling makes people dumber in the moment.

“you can dial somebody up and you can dial them back just based on your tone of voice”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 26:37

Gaunt says the exercise shows that people under pressure who cannot say no will lie to restore their equilibrium.

“under pressure, even if you're not a bad person, If you don't know how to say no, you're going to lie. Just to have your equilibrium restored”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 25:36

Gaunt holds that trust comes before respect and that people will do anything within their capability for someone they trust.

“Anybody anywhere on the planet would do anything for you if two things were true. Number one, it's in their capability, and number two, they trust you”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 55:24

Gaunt warns against weaponizing common ground, saying 'me too' statements shift focus to the speaker and can shut the other person down.

“I've got a problem with people who weaponize common ground. who assume that because your son plays baseball and I coach baseball, we're going to come to an agreement”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 50:16

Gaunt says corporate trainings are often difficult because only a mid-level sponsor wants them, whereas self-funded clients are invested.

“we get into a room, 60 people, only five of them want to be there. And so it's like pulling teeth”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 42:40

Gaunt describes Fight Less, Win More as a less academic, more field-worthy distillation and evolution of Never Split the Difference.

“We were looking to produce something that was less academic and more field-worthy. Okay. And so it's a distillation of Never Split the Difference”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 36:53

Gaunt ranks communication channels, with face to face best and email as a last resort for sensitive back-and-forth.

“But phone, face to face is best. Zoom, next best. Voice to voice is third best. Email as a very last resort”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 34:16

Gaunt says the story of the Black cop is one of the most unheralded in American history because such officers are caught between two groups.

“one of the most unheralded stories in American history is the story of the black cop”

Mick Unplugged: Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical Empathy (Oct 1, 2026) · Listen from 7:16