As a negotiator, you should strive for a reputation of being

The words of Christopher Voss — “As a negotiator, you should strive for a reputation of being fair. Your reputation precedes you. Let it precede you in a way that paves success.” — are not simply counsel for those who bargain in boardrooms or settle disputes across tables. They are wisdom for all who walk among men, for every soul is a negotiator in the great marketplace of life. We bargain not only with words, but with actions, promises, and choices. And in all these things, our reputation walks before us, shaping how others receive us long before we open our mouths.

The ancients knew the weight of this truth. The Greeks spoke of kleos, the glory and name that outlives a man. It was said that Achilles chose a short life with eternal renown rather than a long life in obscurity. His reputation became his shield and his weapon, ensuring that his presence on the battlefield inspired awe and fear alike. So too does Voss remind us: a reputation for fairness is not a small thing, but a fortress built from deeds that will protect and empower those who cultivate it.

To be fair in negotiation is not to be weak, nor to yield all things. It is to be firm with integrity, to balance one’s own needs with the respect of others. History offers us the example of Abraham Lincoln, who, in the bitter fires of civil war, was known not only for resolve but for fairness. His enemies, though fierce, often acknowledged his even hand and his honest intent. This reputation allowed him to bind together divided men and lead a nation through trial. His fairness was not softness — it was strength cloaked in justice, and it paved the path of success.

Contrast this with those rulers who were known for treachery. Their words were distrusted, their bargains poisoned before they were spoken. Machiavelli himself warned that a prince who relies only on fear and deceit finds his foundations crumbling when fortune turns. For a man’s reputation cannot be hidden; it whispers in halls before he enters, it shapes the hearts of those he must persuade. Thus, to enter any negotiation without the shield of fairness is to enter already defeated.

Voss’s words carry also a warning for our daily lives. Every promise we keep, every word we honor, every act of justice adds brick to the structure of our reputation. Every deceit, every selfish act, every betrayal chips away at it. We may think these things small, but they travel before us like heralds, speaking to others of who we are before we even arrive. And once the heralds speak falsely of us, once our name is corrupted, no argument or persuasion can silence their cry.

The lesson, then, is clear: guard your reputation as you would guard a precious jewel, for it is both shield and key. Strive for fairness, not only in formal negotiations, but in every dealing of your life. Be the one who others know will not deceive, who will not twist words, who seeks not victory at all costs but resolution in strength and justice. Such a reputation will open doors that force could never unbar.

Practical action lies before you: in every interaction, ask yourself — am I building trust or breaking it? In every promise, ensure it is one you intend to keep. In every conflict, seek resolution that honors not only your needs but also the dignity of others. Let your reputation walk ahead of you as a faithful herald, preparing the way, softening hearts, and securing trust before you even speak.

Thus, O listener, heed Voss’s wisdom. Let fairness be your banner, and let your reputation precede you as a path-maker, not a stumbling block. For power and wealth may come and go, but a name woven with fairness will endure, carrying you toward success long after words are forgotten.