The Truth About Negotiations

Life is a negotiation. Whether it's a job offer, contract discussion, or decision between colleagues or customers, negotiations are an elemental part of professional life.

But, this is not a skill you will use only in the workplace, negotiation is a powerful technique to use at home as well, whether it's to resolve differences with spouses or convince kids to do their homework.

The Truth About Negotiating explains why great negotiators are taught (not born) and how you can master these skills to help you succeed in all areas of your life.

Part of The Truth About Series, each title aims to cover an entire field of knowledge in a sharp and entertaining way. With a minimum of 50 honest answers to important questions in every book, you will find yourself thinking 'aha' as you read each page.

The Truth and nothing but The Truth.

Introduction

TRUTH 1: If you have only one hour to prepare

TRUTH 2: Negotiation: A natural gift?

TRUTH 3: Rehearsal might get you to Carnegie, but it won’t help you negotiate

TRUTH 4: The power of making the first offer

TRUTH 5: What if you don’t make the first offer?

TRUTH 6: Don’t be a tough or a nice negotiator

TRUTH 7: Four sand traps in the golf game of negotiation

TRUTH 8: Your industry is unique (and other myths)

TRUTH 9: Identify your BATNA

TRUTH 10: It’s alive! Constantly improve your BATNA

TRUTH 11: Don’t reveal your BATNA

TRUTH 12: Don’t lie about your BATNA

TRUTH 13: Signal your BATNA

TRUTH 14: Research the other party’s BATNA

TRUTH 15: Develop your reservation price

TRUTH 16: Beware of ZOPA myopia

TRUTH 17: Set optimistic but realistic aspirations

TRUTH 18: Plan your concessions

TRUTH 19: Be aware of the “even-split” ploy

TRUTH 20: The pregame

TRUTH 21: The game

TRUTH 22: The postgame

TRUTH 23: What does “win-win” really mean?

TRUTH 24: Satisficing versus optimizing

TRUTH 25: There are really only two kinds of negotiations

TRUTH 26: Ask triple-I questions

TRUTH 27: Reveal your interests

TRUTH 28: Negotiate issues simultaneously, not sequentially

TRUTH 29: Logrolling (I scratch your back, you scratch mine)

TRUTH 30: Make multiple offers of equivalent value simultaneously

TRUTH 31: Postsettlement settlements

TRUTH 32: Contingent agreements

TRUTH 33: Are you an enlightened negotiator?

TRUTH 34: The reciprocity principle

TRUTH 35: The reinforcement principle

TRUTH 36: The similarity principle

TRUTH 37: Know when to drop an anchor

TRUTH 38: The framing effect

TRUTH 39: Responding to temper tantrums

TRUTH 40: What’s your sign? (Know your disputing style)

TRUTH 41: Using power responsibly

TRUTH 42: Saving face

TRUTH 43: How to negotiate with someone you hate

TRUTH 44: How to negotiate with someone you love

TRUTH 45: Building the winning negotiation team

TRUTH 46: What if they arrive with a team?

TRUTH 47: Of men, women, and pie-slicing

TRUTH 48: Know why the fish swim

TRUTH 49: It does not make sense to always get to the point

TRUTH 50: Negotiating on the phone

TRUTH 51: Your reputation

TRUTH 52: Building trust

TRUTH 53: Repairing broken trust

References

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Leigh Thompson is a Professor at Kellogg School of Management of North-western University and author of best-selling The Heart and Mind of a Negotiator, Third Edition. Thompson is a highly sought after consultant and negotiations expert for Fortune 100 firms.

Expert Reviews

A comprehensive guide to negotiating in all types of situations... well written, enjoyable and a must read for every manager - Professional Manager May 2008

Featured in 3 of a kind and ranked best of its kind: "... full of useful pithy advice... written in an approachable but authoritative style" - Management Today, January 2009 (readership 303,000)

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