Negotiate
This!
By
Caring, But Not T-H-A-T Much
By Herb
Cohen
Though
it took him twenty years to do it, master negotiator Herb Cohen
has returned to show us how to negotiate anything while remaining
emotionally detached from the process. Of course you must care about
the outcome of the negotiation, but the other side should never
think it is a life-and-death deal.
With
his wonderful sense of humor, he tells of the mistakes he has made
in negotiating things for himself. The biggest mistakes were made
when he became too emotionally involved in the negotiations. The
second biggest mistakes were made when a member of his negotiating
team undercut his position, leaving him with a less-than-desirable
result. These are the things Mr. Cohen teaches us to avoid if at
all possible. If you are ever called upon, as he has been, to negotiate
a hostage situation, any mistakes you make can have deadly consequences.
One
of the things Mr. Cohen says you must do is enter the negotiation
with a friendly attitude. Hostility will breed a hostile response.
When the other side talks, take notes so they will know you're really
listening. This will also give you an accurate record of what was
said if there is a question later on.
Ask
probing questions that will let you know the underlying needs and
desires of the other side. These will likely affect their bargaining
stance, even though they haven't said anything about them. There
may be concessions you can make that will help satisfy those needs.
Negotiate
This! is a book you can even use to negotiate with members of
your family. It's filled with wisdom and examples of both the right
and wrong way to make a deal. Just remember to care about the deal
you're making, but not t-h-a-t much.
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