Business Book Summaries

The negotiator can and should exercise power, strength, and influence. By power, we mean the capacity to dominate.

The strength of a negotiator depends on the situation he is in. It depends on the combination of technical, economic, and social ingredients which he represents when he comes to the negotiating table – if he is selling products which really are cheapest and best, he’s in a strong position.

His skills are in the way he develops and uses his influence. A basic skill in that influence is the ability to communicate: to create conditions for effective communication, present information, present cases, keep it simple, listen diligently, and use the skills of non-verbal communication.

Psychology can justify and enrich our understanding of the skills. Bosses and colleagues can help us to prepare and support us when we are out in the field. But at the end of the negotiation, satisfaction does not come from forcing something onto an unwilling opponent, nor dissatisfaction from yielding to overwhelming pressure.

Our sense of fulfillment comes from the conviction that we have worked with another party to create a deal excellent for us both, or from the conviction that we have earned the advantage whilst yet giving satisfaction.

Our sense of fulfillment comes from having successfully used the practical skills of negotiating.

Effectiveness in negotiating is an important part of any manager’s equipment, and Bill Scott’s best selling book “The Skills of Negotiating” is suitable for both the beginner and the experienced negotiator. It covers key areas such as the building of a businesslike yet cordial climate for negotiations, a disciplined approach to preparation, and the skills of leading and structuring a negotiation towards agreement; and it presents a range of techniques and tactics designed to give immediate advantage. This book offers methods that have been developed and tested with some four hundred negotiators representing many types of business in many different countries. With the author’s down-to-earth style, this book is surely to be read with enjoyment as well as profit. To access the full book summary, please visit http://www.bizsum.com.