Book 101 Negotiation Principles: An Intensive Negotiation Course

Author: Peter Sander

This book covers the key ideas, strategies, methods, responses, and skills that will help you in any type of negotiation with any counterpart, anywhere. The fundamental negotiation principles and topics you will read about in the book include: •Negotiation is everywhere: You negotiate at work, at home, and even during leisure activities. You might negotiate for jet contracts, cleaning services, or with your children about dinner time; these are all examples of negotiations, differing only in importance and scope, but not in their fundamentals. •Negotiation might be your profession, but it is likely part of whatever your job is: Few of us make negotiation our primary livelihood. For the rest of us, the vast majority, we must negotiate to accomplish a significant portion of our tasks. •Both parties must win: When both sides win and achieve some of their goals, needs, and desires from the negotiation, the process proceeds faster and easier and usually yields the best results for everyone. When one party plays to win everything at the expense of the other, it creates short-term pain and damages a long-term relationship. •Negotiations should be “fast, friendly, and effective”: This favorite phrase should describe most interactions in your business or organization, especially negotiations and customer relationships; “fast, friendly, and effective” negotiations get better work done, take less time, and lead to lasting results and continued loyalty. •The counterpart is not an enemy: When the counterpart is viewed as an enemy, negotiation becomes more negative, aggressive, and focused on personality and ego. When you treat someone as an enemy, they do the same, and the win-win approach vanishes forever. I have used the term "counterpart," not "opponent" or "adversary" or similar terms, throughout the book. •Negotiations should be conducted with the long term in mind. Ultimately, negotiation is about reputation (your reputation) and the relationship (with the counterpart). Undoubtedly, you will have to do it again somewhere in your life, and most likely with the same counterpart.