Deals, decisions and relationships are rarely lost because the offer was wrong. They are lost because the conversation was mishandled under pressure.
The pay rise. The price objection. The difficult colleague, client or family member. The funding round or the hard conversation with a co-founder. They all fail the same way a hostage negotiation fails.
Talking too much. Conceding too early. Mistaking urgency for leverage.
01
Stay composed
Pressure triggers an emotional hijack. Pause, reset and choose your response, so you act instead of react.
02
Build trust
Trust precedes influence. Make the other side feel seen, heard and understood before you try to move them.
03
Protect value
Know your walk-away point and handle objections without caving. Never give ground just to make the discomfort stop.
Six steps, built in real kidnap and crisis negotiations, taught to leaders, teams and individuals.
Every crisis negotiation starts with the negotiator, not the other side. If you cannot control your own emotional state, no technique will save you. These six steps apply to every difficult conversation and negotiation you will face, at work and at home. Each one builds on the last.
1. Mastering the Inner Game
Regulate yourself first with the 3-Step Reset: pause, reset, choose.
2. Preparing to Engage
Know what you want, where your limit is and the five objections you will face.
3. Understanding Their World
Listen at Level 5, for the logic, emotion and point of view behind the words.
4. Engaging With Empathy
Make them feel seen, heard and understood before you try to persuade.
5. Navigating Difficult Conversations
Know which conversation you are in, and handle objections without caving.
6. Achieving Influence Without Authority
Move people you cannot instruct by answering the questions they are really asking.
Keynotes
Lessons from real kidnap and crisis negotiations, made directly relevant to your audience and the pressure they face. On stage or as an interviewed fireside chat, for conferences, leadership events and sales kick-offs.
Popular talks
Staying calm under pressure
Building trust quickly
Mastering difficult conversations
Influence without authority
Managing the crisis within the crisis
Making good decisions in bad situations
Workshops
Practical sessions for leaders and teams, built on the 6-Step Red Centre Negotiation Framework. Real scenarios, live drills and a workbook your team keeps.
Formats: half day, full day or a 90-minute virtual session.
Best for: sales, business development, procurement and leadership teams.
Advisory
Ongoing, retained support for leaders and teams in live, high-stakes negotiations. Preparing for the deal, handling the hard conversations, and managing the crisis within the crisis inside your own organisation.
Usually starts with a half-day session, then continues as a retained partnership.
Podcasts and media
Real stories from 300+ kidnap and crisis negotiations, turned into practical tools your listeners can use the same day, at work and at home.
Guest on Modern Wisdom, The Genius Life, The Jordan Harbinger Show, LADbible and many more.
Head of Business Development, Citadel Securities
“Thanks to Scott’s coaching, my negotiation and leadership ability went through the roof. He helped me develop my skills to influence, persuade and obtain long-term cooperation from others. I can’t recommend Scott enough.”
David Murray
Chief Solution Architect, Amazon
“The content is first class and we now make better decisions and negotiate better deals as a result. Scott’s a real joy to work with.”
Ellie Sharkey
Head of Business Development, Citadel Securities
“Scott delivered an outstanding event sharing proven, practical tools and techniques that our members have since applied to improve their leadership, communication, resilience and performance at the highest level when it counts. Highly recommended!”
Richard Williams
Senior Director of Education, Chief of Staff Association
“I found working with Scott a great experience. The sessions were very highly beneficial. He enabled me to step outside my comfort zone, forcing me to think clearer, make better decisions, and ultimately led me to achieve all my goals and grow the business.”
Andrew Holt
Managing Director, Azurelope Ltd.
CDW Sales Conference, Manchester, 2026.
VC Platform Global Summit, Miami.
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Dubai.
Citadel Securities negotiation workshop, London.
BBC News, The Context.
CNN, Connect the World.
When pirates hijacked a ship, when a criminal gang kidnapped someone, when a company was held to ransom, I was the person who got the call. I resolved more than 300 of those cases.
Before that, I was a Scotland Yard detective and a military intelligence interrogator, and I served as a senior counter-terrorism adviser to the United Nations in the Middle East and North Africa.
Today I bring the same lessons into boardrooms and commercial teams. I am also a visiting lecturer at the London School of Economics, London Business School and Canterbury Christ Church University.
SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
Order Out of Chaos
A Kidnap Negotiator’s Guide to Influence and Persuasion
How to succeed in negotiations where failure is not an option. Nominated for numerous awards and translated into multiple languages.
Get your copy
THE FOLLOW-UP
Eye of the Storm
How to Make Good Decisions in Bad Situations
How to remain calm, think clearly and make effective decisions under pressure.
Get your copy
Become a better negotiator, one minute at a time. One short, practical lesson in your inbox every day, ready to use before your next conversation.
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PODCASTS
Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson
The Jordan Harbinger Show
The Emma Guns Show
The Rebel Work Podcast
PRESS
Harvard Business Review: Negotiate Like a Pro
The New York Times: How to bargain like a kidnap negotiator
The Guardian: A hostage negotiator reveals the secrets
Sky News with Kay Burley
The Genius Life
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Virgin Radio
I have been a guest on some of the biggest podcasts in the world, including Modern Wisdom, The Genius Life, The Jordan Harbinger Show and LADbible, and on national radio including The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio. Here is what I bring to yours.
TOPICS WE CAN COVER
How a kidnap negotiator stays calm when a life is on the line.
The most dangerous room in a kidnapping isn’t where the hostage is held.
How to build trust with someone who has every reason not to trust you.
How to influence people you can’t simply tell what to do.
How to win the conversations that count, at work and at home.
Order out of chaos: real resilience under pressure.
WHAT YOUR LISTENERS WALK AWAY WITH
A simple three-step reset to stay composed when emotions spike.
How elite negotiators build trust fast, even with hostile people.
A practical approach to difficult conversations at work and at home.
How to protect their value in any negotiation without damaging the relationship.
I promote every episode across LinkedIn, Instagram and The Daily Negotiation Brief.
Tell me about your event, or how I can best support your team or negotiation.