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Waco negotiator Gary Noesner shares tips on de-escalation and reading behavior

  1. Waco negotiator Gary Noesner shares tips on de-escalation and reading behavior Zachary Elwood 1:03:11

What actually works to avoid violent outcomes when someone is armed, emotional, and on the edge? I talk with former FBI chief hostage negotiator Gary Noesner, author of Stalling for Time, about the psychology of high-stakes crisis situations — including lessons from Waco (part of which he was present for) and other cases Gary explains the “paradox of power” (why pushing aggressively often backfires), and why most so-called hostage situations are really emotional crises, not bargaining contests. We also discuss the limits of reading body language and behavior, the power of active listening, and the importance of tone of voice and how you phrase things. 

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I'm a former professional poker player who is most well known for my books on poker tells/behavior: my first book Reading Poker Tells has been translated into 8 languages. I'm also known for my psychology podcast People Who Read People, which is known for often focusing on political polarization-related topics.