What Derek Gaunt has said about Hostage negotiation
3 quotes · 1 episode · Oct 1, 2026
Derek Gaunt, Former law-enforcement officer and hostage-negotiation team commander, Black Swan Group coach and author of Fight Less, Win More, has been quoted on Hostage negotiation 3 times in 1 episode of Mick Unplugged, most recently on October 1, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
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 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 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
Episodes
Derek Gaunt: Fight Less, Win More Through Tactical EmpathyMick Unplugged · Oct 1, 2026 · 1 h 2 min
Mick Hunt talks with his coach Derek Gaunt about tactical empathy, hostage-negotiation lessons, and the ideas behind Fight Less, Win More.
Derek Gaunt on other topics
- Tactical empathy · 3 quotes
- 60 Seconds or She Dies exercise · 2 quotes
- Sales negotiation · 2 quotes
- Common ground in persuasion · 1 quote
- Coachability · 1 quote
- Fight Less, Win More · 1 quote
- Email versus live communication · 1 quote
- Black police officers in the United States · 1 quote