Roger Fisher (1922–2012)

This book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the theory behind effective negotiation, offering plenty of relevant examples and standing as a gold standard in the field. However, it would benefit from more practical guidance on applying the concepts. Despite this, it remains valuable, and I noticed some of the theories reflected in the movie Juror 8 I recently watched.

For instance, on the concept of Separating people from the problem
During the trial, the forensic scientist confidently testified that the victim’s death was caused by a blow from a hammer. However, Juror #6, despite knowing the jury was not allowed to speak, boldly interjected, asserting that the wound on the victim’s head was not from a hammer. With 30 years of experience as an embalmer, Juror #6 was certain the wound had a different cause, pointing to the evidence of blood patches rather than the gushing blood one would expect from a hammer strike. Despite his extensive experience in handling corpses, no one chose to believe him, and he was eventually removed from the court for causing a disturbance. Perhaps, if Juror #6 had presented his opinion with more restraint, avoiding the aggressive tone and volume, the judges might have responded differently. His emotional outburst, unfortunately, overshadowed the validity of his argument, leading to his dismissal.

This book is no doubt a very good book for beginners :)… (more)

Unfortunately, the world is full of people who still think that negotiation is a strong-man game. The one who made the least concessions wins.

This is the most fundamental, basic book to break through that view. At this point, the information in here is old-hat if you're dealing with someone who's a professional negotiator (sales, arbitration, etc) but if you hate negotiating because you just see it as an arm-wrestling competition, this is a great book to get started changing that view.… (more)

Negotiation is a crucial life skill. For some, it’s inherent to being a part of society, especially with expensive purchases or haggling in open markets. For others (like lawyers), it composes a part of their professional skillset. Either way, most people can stand to benefit from learning more about the art of negotiation. Many negotiation guides seek to maximize gains by taking strong positions. However, as these authors point out, this strategy can hurt long-term relationships by hurting the well-being of one party. Instead, they suggest building negotiation around a mutual appreciation of fairness. This leaves relationships and reputations in tact while getting a satisfying result.

The authors make a couple of assumptions. First, most people are most afraid of being “taken” in a negotiation. They do not necessarily want to maximize their result, but rather, they mostly do not want to lose the negotiation. Second, fair standards can anchor a negotiation by framing it objectively in a proper ballpark. Instead of taking positions, parties are encouraged to do research to look for a fair result. While this decreases the likelihood of “winning big,” it increases the likelihood of a mutually satisfying agreement. (Thus, it decreases the likelihood of a “bad” agreement.)

With these goals in mind, the authors reframe the language around negotiation to help readers achieve these results. Ample examples from a variety of settings exist within this work. They coach how to deal with trying situations, like power differentials, difficult people, and adversarial tactics. They focus on long-term benefits from reputation and win-win relationships instead of just winning one contest.

Those who value the social fabric will appreciate this book’s approach. It’s goal is to get to “yes” – that is, to get to an agreement instead of dramatically maximizing the windfall. Obviously, not everyone will agree with this style of negotiation, but it has many benefits. Most of all, it encourages fairness and politeness without turning it into passivity. It’s good training (and therapy) to think through dealing with difficult negotiation tactics ahead of time. This sets the stage for real-life encounters. After reading this book, I look back on several big, past negotiations that I could have handled better. At least I’ll be more prepared for the next one.… (more)