I first saw this principle as a negotiation tactic in "Never Split the Difference", he talks about how FBI hostage negotiators talk to understand the motivation

I first saw this principle as a negotiation tactic in "Never Split the Difference", he talks about how FBI hostage negotiators talk to understand the motivations of hostage-takers and terrorists without necessarily giving in or agreeing with any of those motivations. It turns out even hardened criminals want to be heard/understood, and by using (author calls) "tactical empathy", you can start your negotiation off on the right footing.