Getting More, my book on negotiation, was published in Britain today, opening as #1 on the business bestseller list of W.H. Smith, a leading bookseller, based on advance sales. The book was also published today in the UK Commonwealth, including India, Australia, South Africa and Singapore. I have spent the last three days in London doing radio, TV, magazine and newspaper interviews, and speaking to various groups about the book.
The book challenges much of the conventional wisdom on negotiation, including the concepts of win-win, leverage (power), alternatives to agreement and rational negotiations. Twenty years of research and experience, including teaching 30,000 people in 45 countries, has found that such traditional concepts do not work very well in the real world. For example, Important negotiations are usually filled with emotion. As such, emotional intelligence and focus on the other party’s perceptions are much more important than logic in reaching one’s goals. And the use of power often just encourages retaliation rather that compliance.
The book proposes a process to succeed in any situation, from work to kids to travel, buying and selling things, doing deals, international politics, relationships, cultural differences and hard bargainers. Much of the book is told through the stories of hundreds of former students, from senior country and company officials to junior managers, attorneys, housewives and students. Negotiation is involved in every human interaction, so even a small improvement can have a big impact on one’s daily life.
The speeches in London included a Monday night kick-off attended by 160 people at the U.S. Embassy and sponsored by The Wharton Club of Britain. On Tuesday evening I presented to the London School of Economics. And on Wednesday afternoon I conducted a class for graduate students at the London Business School. TV interviews included CNBC, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera. Radio included BBC and Talk Radio Europe. Getting More will be published in the U.S. on Dec. 28.
Getting More Published Today
The book challenges much of the conventional wisdom on negotiation, including the concepts of win-win, leverage (power), alternatives to agreement and rational negotiations. Twenty years of research and experience, including teaching 30,000 people in 45 countries, has found that such traditional concepts do not work very well in the real world. For example, Important negotiations are usually filled with emotion. As such, emotional intelligence and focus on the other party’s perceptions are much more important than logic in reaching one’s goals. And the use of power often just encourages retaliation rather that compliance.
The book proposes a process to succeed in any situation, from work to kids to travel, buying and selling things, doing deals, international politics, relationships, cultural differences and hard bargainers. Much of the book is told through the stories of hundreds of former students, from senior country and company officials to junior managers, attorneys, housewives and students. Negotiation is involved in every human interaction, so even a small improvement can have a big impact on one’s daily life.
The speeches in London included a Monday night kick-off attended by 160 people at the U.S. Embassy and sponsored by The Wharton Club of Britain. On Tuesday evening I presented to the London School of Economics. And on Wednesday afternoon I conducted a class for graduate students at the London Business School. TV interviews included CNBC, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera. Radio included BBC and Talk Radio Europe. Getting More will be published in the U.S. on Dec. 28.