Negotiating the Sweet Spot: The Art of Leaving Nothing on the Table

by Leigh Thompson

Everybody negotiates at various points every day, be it in life or business, and it’s important to get it right. On average, people leave about 20% of potential mutual gains untapped in any negotiation. This is akin to taking 20% of the value in any deal and dumping it into a garbage canister. Finding that hidden 20%, the “sweet spot,” is a skill that takes practice but is also one that anybody can learn. Leigh Thompson offers best practices and tools within this book to use in daily negotiations and conflict situations. She calls these strategies “hacks” because they work but don’t require a lot of investment, training, expense, and time. You don’t have to be a CEO, senior VP, or regional brand manager to learn how to find the sweet spot in life’s negotiations. In Negotiating the Sweet Spot , benefits include learning the Negotiating the Sweet Spot walks people of all skill and experience levels through simple and proven techniques that are sure to result in better outcomes for all parties and that uncover the hidden value that exists in any negotiation.

Genres: Business

256 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2020

Reviews

[Gautam Sinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book sometimes becomes too preachy. Few nice spots here and there!

[Kristiana Aliaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was light and practical reading, it gave some practical hacks on better managing situations of conflict in day to day life, be it in personal relationships or professional environment. It is also inclusive about how to handle e-communication in professional terms.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thompson, a psychologist and professor of negotiations at the business school at Northwestern, gives insight into every day negotiations. Most disagreements in personal or business relationships can be resolved by better communication. The author identifies multiple “hacks” than can be used to break impasses in formal and informal negotiations.
For example, many negotiations get off on the wrong foot because of poor email skills. Many people say things in emails or texts that they would never say in person. Often the tone of an electronic communication is too harsh. The author recognized this problem in herself and resolved to never respond to emails after 6:00 pm when she was tired or hurried, but to prepare drafts that could be revised the next day. Another hack: Agree on the process before getting into substance.
This book has a lot of practical advice for daily life as well as for professional negotiations.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Craig Kensek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Book on Negotiation Hacks and Getting to the Sweet Spot

Negotiating the Sweet Spot: The Art of Leaving Nothing on the Table by Leigh Thompson

We are constantly negotiating in life, with our partners, in business and with ourselves. In a collection of 45 hacks spread across 8 chapters, with Elvis is even mentioned as a title of one of the hacks. Thompson provides a great book on negotiating and achieving the sweet spot in negiatings. And of course, it wouldn’t be a book on negotiating without discussing the Prisoner’s Dilemma! Bonus points for creative naming of the hacks.

It’s a different world:not all negotiations take place live in the same room. Zoom has now entered the equation. Your strategies may change.

In an ideal world, both parties want to achieve an optimal (not satisficed) agreement and have had some experience or training in negotiation. Even if the other party hasn’t, what you gain and bring to the table (you may want make it a round one, see Hack 4 (Don’t Look Now))from reading “Negotiating the Sweet Spot” will smooth the process.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author provides their reader with useful advice on how to rethink how they negotiate. About 20% is left on the table because people walk away from negotiations settling for less than they walked in wanting. The author explains how to find the sweet spot in any negotiation so that the reader can accomplish more when negotiating and walk away happier.

[Teresa Aires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly insightful and interesting, the book covers important relationship, workplace, and virtual hacks and supports them with cogent explanations and research. Very useful for anyone interested in negotiations or just looking to improve their interactions in general. My head is swimming in information and ideas I cannot wait to put into practice!

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for those wanting and willing to improve communication with friends, family, coworkers, and of course business negotiations. Leigh Thompson delivers an easy to read, entertaining account of each researched base principle.

[Darya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical book on negotiations in every day life, at work and in virtual environment for different occasions. There are plenty of examples and easy hacks to apply.

[Regan Sankey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this book for my negotiations class. Redundant. Had some interesting aspects.