You Can Negotiate Anything

This is book is a must read for any real negotiator. Herb Cohen does an excellent job identifying objections and ways to overcome them. His identification of negotiating styles is uncanny and insightful. I would recommend that anyone who negotiates for a living read this book not once but twice. "This book changed my life and business!"

For negotiating, you should aim for this variable: to illuminate your reality and its opportunities is most important. If you follow his choices, you can have what you want based on your unique needs.

When you inevitably have conflicts with those you love, negotiation makes everyone feel that he has won. It is a win-win situation as opposed to the You Win, I Lose. A field of knowledge and endeavor which focuses on gaining the favor of those from whom we want or need certain things, like prestige, status, security recognition, etc. It's all negotiable. If you're patient, things come your way, but you need to use the Win-win approach so t hat each person feel he has not had to tive in again.

The three crucial variables are explained in detail: power, time, and information (how to get what you need without anyone getting hurt again) Power is based on perception; the thing is to believe you will get a fair deal. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated truthfully that "our best thoughts come from others" sometimes. If that works for you, believe it. But you need the power of commitment, expertise, and knowledge of needs: two things being bargained for are the specific issues and demands as are stated openly plus the real needs of the other side, rarely verbalized. Especially useful is the power of persistence and persuasion.

We each have a role to play in this world, a reason for being here but, you alone can determine your destiny. In today's "anything goes," all the illegitimacy crossing the races" (in the old days, it was incestuousness of fathers taking advantage of their own daughters) we must seek help with morality. But by whom? Too many churches expounding on diverse subjects, but not the "thou shall not"s. What ever happened to the Ten Commandments.

Mr. Cohen taught at Harvard, the University of Michigan, and The Brookings Institute. This book was on New York Times Bestseller list over nine months.

The tips and strategies are probably timeless; however, the examples and references are so old that it's distracting. Instead of helping to reinforce his points, the examples wound up making me think back 30 years to put them into context. This book needs to be updated!

If you wanna learn, no better way to start......late delievery by the sender.

I absolutely loved this book. It is humorous and informative. The author took time to explain things in layman's terms without "dumping it down". I was delighted and impressed by the numerous practical examples the author gave which illustrated the vast opportunities that are available to achieve effective negotiations.

The book really gives a great launching point for those who wish to carry out successful win-win negotiations in every facet of their lives, be it at home, with suppliers, at your favourite shop or at work. I love the tone that the book is written in and how it is easy to read, understand and follow, making a lot of sense.

I now know how information, time pressures and perceived power can be effectively employed in successful negotiations. I also now know that if I want to persuade people, I need to show the immediate relevance and value of what I am presenting in terms of meeting their needs and desires. The lesson that collaborative negotiations lies in finding what the other side really wants and showing them the way to get it, while I get what I want was particularly salutary.

I recommend the book to anyone interested in successful and fruitful negotiations.