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Negotiation for Success
We all negotiate on a daily basis. We negotiate with our spouses, children, parents and friends. We negotiate when we rent an apartment, buy a car, purchase a house and apply for a job. Your ability to negotiate might even be the most important factor in your career advancement.
Negotiation is also the key to business success. No organization can survive without contracts that produce profits. At a strategic level, businesses are concerned with value creation and achieving competitive advantage. But the success of high-level business strategies depends on contracts made with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders. Contracting capability-the ability to negotiate and perform successful contracts-is the most important function in any organization.
This book is designed to help you achieve success in your personal negotiations and in your business transactions. The book is unique in two ways. First, the book not only covers negotiation concepts, but also provides practical actions you can take in future negotiations. This includes a Negotiation Planning Checklist and a completed example of the checklist for your use in future negotiations.
The book also includes (1) a tool you can use to assess your negotiation style; (2) examples of "decision trees," which are useful in calculating your alternatives if your negotiation is unsuccessful; (3) a three-part strategy for increasing your power during negotiations; (4) a practical plan for analyzing your negotiations based on your reservation price, stretch goal, most-likely target, and zone of potential agreement; (5) clear guidelines on ethical standards that apply to negotiations; (6) factors to consider when deciding whether you should negotiate through an agent; (7) psychological tools you can use in negotiations-and traps to avoid when the other side uses them; (8) key elements of contract law that arise during negotiations; and (9) a checklist of factors to use when you evaluate your performance as a negotiator.
Second, the book is unique in its holistic approach to the negotiation process. Other books often focus narrowly either on negotiation or on contract law. Furthermore, the books on negotiation tend to focus on what happens at the bargaining table without addressing the performance of an agreement. These books make the mistaken assumption that success is determined by evaluating the negotiation rather than evaluating performance of the agreement. Similarly, the books on contract law tend to focus on the legal requirements for a contract to be valid, thus giving short shrift to the negotiation process that precedes the contract and to the performance that follows.
In the real world, the contracting process is not divided into independent phases. What happens during a negotiation has a profound impact on the contract and on the performance that follows. The contract's legal content should reflect the realities of what happened at the bargaining table and the performance that is to follow. This book, in contrast to others, covers the entire negotiation process in chronological order beginning with your decision to negotiate and continuing through the evaluation of your performance as a negotiator.
A business executive in one of the negotiation seminars the author teaches as a University of Michigan professor summarized negotiation as follows: "Life is negotiation!" No one ever stated it better. As a mother with young children and as a company leader, the executive realized that negotiations are pervasive in our personal and business lives. With its emphasis on practical action, and with its chronological, holistic approach, this book provides a roadmap you can use when navigating through your life as a negotiator.
Negotiation is also the key to business success. No organization can survive without contracts that produce profits. At a strategic level, businesses are concerned with value creation and achieving competitive advantage. But the success of high-level business strategies depends on contracts made with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders. Contracting capability-the ability to negotiate and perform successful contracts-is the most important function in any organization.
This book is designed to help you achieve success in your personal negotiations and in your business transactions. The book is unique in two ways. First, the book not only covers negotiation concepts, but also provides practical actions you can take in future negotiations. This includes a Negotiation Planning Checklist and a completed example of the checklist for your use in future negotiations.
The book also includes (1) a tool you can use to assess your negotiation style; (2) examples of "decision trees," which are useful in calculating your alternatives if your negotiation is unsuccessful; (3) a three-part strategy for increasing your power during negotiations; (4) a practical plan for analyzing your negotiations based on your reservation price, stretch goal, most-likely target, and zone of potential agreement; (5) clear guidelines on ethical standards that apply to negotiations; (6) factors to consider when deciding whether you should negotiate through an agent; (7) psychological tools you can use in negotiations-and traps to avoid when the other side uses them; (8) key elements of contract law that arise during negotiations; and (9) a checklist of factors to use when you evaluate your performance as a negotiator.
Second, the book is unique in its holistic approach to the negotiation process. Other books often focus narrowly either on negotiation or on contract law. Furthermore, the books on negotiation tend to focus on what happens at the bargaining table without addressing the performance of an agreement. These books make the mistaken assumption that success is determined by evaluating the negotiation rather than evaluating performance of the agreement. Similarly, the books on contract law tend to focus on the legal requirements for a contract to be valid, thus giving short shrift to the negotiation process that precedes the contract and to the performance that follows.
In the real world, the contracting process is not divided into independent phases. What happens during a negotiation has a profound impact on the contract and on the performance that follows. The contract's legal content should reflect the realities of what happened at the bargaining table and the performance that is to follow. This book, in contrast to others, covers the entire negotiation process in chronological order beginning with your decision to negotiate and continuing through the evaluation of your performance as a negotiator.
A business executive in one of the negotiation seminars the author teaches as a University of Michigan professor summarized negotiation as follows: "Life is negotiation!" No one ever stated it better. As a mother with young children and as a company leader, the executive realized that negotiations are pervasive in our personal and business lives. With its emphasis on practical action, and with its chronological, holistic approach, this book provides a roadmap you can use when navigating through your life as a negotiator.
132 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2014
496 people are currently reading
1246 people want to read
About the author
George J. Siedel
27 books19 followersGeorge Siedel is the Williamson Family Professor of Business Administration and the Thurnau Professor of Business Law at the University of Michigan. He teaches negotiation at Michigan's Ross School of Business and around the world to business leaders, entrepreneurs, attorneys, physicians, athletic directors, and judges. He recently developed a free negotiation app: negotiationplanner.com.
Professor Siedel completed graduate studies at the University of Michigan and Cambridge University. He served as a visiting professor at Stanford University and Harvard University and as a Visiting Scholar at Berkeley. As a Fulbright Scholar, he held a Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Professor Siedel has received several national research awards including the Maurer Award, the Ralph Bunche Award, and the Hoeber Award. He has also received many teaching awards, including the 2014 Executive Program Professor of the Year Award from a consortium of 36 leading universities committed to international education.
Professor Siedel completed graduate studies at the University of Michigan and Cambridge University. He served as a visiting professor at Stanford University and Harvard University and as a Visiting Scholar at Berkeley. As a Fulbright Scholar, he held a Distinguished Chair in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Professor Siedel has received several national research awards including the Maurer Award, the Ralph Bunche Award, and the Hoeber Award. He has also received many teaching awards, including the 2014 Executive Program Professor of the Year Award from a consortium of 36 leading universities committed to international education.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 15, 2014
I am taking a MOOC coursera class led by the author. Both the class and the book are very good for learning the foundational ideas of negotiating. He cuts to the chase and explains the principles of successful nevotiations and the biases that prevent them from happenning
in plain language.
in plain language.
July 15, 2024
همراه با مطالعه ی این کتاب کورس آنلاینش رو هم با تدریس جورج سیدل (نویسنده کتاب) گذروندم. لینک آموزش این کلاس رو اضافه می کنم تا اگه شما هم دوست داشته باشید ثبت نام کنید. فعلاً شرکت توی این دوره رایگان هست (اگه اشتباه نکنم تا آخر آگوست 2021) اما اگر تمایل داشتید می تونید گواهی پاس کردن دوره که امضای دانشگاه میشیگان (خیلی خفنه تو این حوزه) هم پاش خورده ، دریافت کنید. نگران مبلغش هم نباشید چون یه بخش کمک مالی داره و می تونید درخواست بدید (مثلاً بگید هر دلار حدوداً 200 هزار ریاله) و اونا هم تا سقف 90 درصد به شما تخفیف میدن که تقریباً 5 دلار واستون آب میخوره. اگر این رقم رو با هزینه ی دوره هایی که دانشگاه تهران و یه سری موسسه ی خصوصی برگزار می کنن مقایسه کنید (تو اشل میلیون می گیرن) می فهمید که چقدر مفت و مجانیه در حالیکه بعید میدونم کیفیت شون در حد تدریس جورج سیدل باشه
به نظرم این کورس صرفاً برای دانشجو های ام بی ای طراحی نشده و می تونه برای همه مفید باشه (مثل خود من که رشته ام یه چیز دیگه اس). به هرحال همه مون با مذاکرات و معاملات از خرید و فروش های کوچولو تا قرار دادهای بزرگ ممکنه درگیر بشیم و لازمه که یک سری از اصول اولیه رو بدونیم
https://courses.edx.org/courses/cours...
پ.ن : یک خلاصه خیلی طولانی! از مطالب کتاب و کلاس درس تو ورد نوشته بودم که می خواستم اینجا بذارم اما گفتم الان یکی از فرندامون باز میاد تیکه میندازه ، آقا دمت گرم کل کتاب و کپی کردی که ;)
به نظرم این کورس صرفاً برای دانشجو های ام بی ای طراحی نشده و می تونه برای همه مفید باشه (مثل خود من که رشته ام یه چیز دیگه اس). به هرحال همه مون با مذاکرات و معاملات از خرید و فروش های کوچولو تا قرار دادهای بزرگ ممکنه درگیر بشیم و لازمه که یک سری از اصول اولیه رو بدونیم
https://courses.edx.org/courses/cours...
پ.ن : یک خلاصه خیلی طولانی! از مطالب کتاب و کلاس درس تو ورد نوشته بودم که می خواستم اینجا بذارم اما گفتم الان یکی از فرندامون باز میاد تیکه میندازه ، آقا دمت گرم کل کتاب و کپی کردی که ;)
March 27, 2015
This basic introduction into negotiation skills lays a profound foundation for anyone who is interested in negotiation. A professor and an experienced negotiator himself, George Siedel has delineated basic skills that can equip anyone to negotiate successfully. Not only businessman, but every person will find this book extremely helpful for everyday transactions and conversations.
August 17, 2021
Read this book as part of the online negotiations course. Interesting considerations on all the different aspects of negotiating successfully, really enjoy how many of the concepts are broken down into checklists.
May 12, 2016
Awesome Book..One should read it along with online course by Prof George on Coursera.
December 28, 2016
Loved the book
Good book which supplemental to the online course. There are lot of gold nuggets which can be picked and implemented in real life out of this book.
Good book which supplemental to the online course. There are lot of gold nuggets which can be picked and implemented in real life out of this book.
September 8, 2015
Good book. Maybe more life examples can be added in future versions
I liked this book very much. It gives an ready reference to the desperately needed, softer management skill of negotiation.
I liked this book very much. It gives an ready reference to the desperately needed, softer management skill of negotiation.
June 21, 2017
Good book
Very helpful. The skills are well outlined. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. Indeed it is a valuable contribution to the management system.
Very helpful. The skills are well outlined. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. Indeed it is a valuable contribution to the management system.
December 26, 2017
The Mooc is one of the best. Highly recommended!
April 15, 2020
This book offers great tips on how to make negotiations a win-win situation for both parties. The high-level ideas are applicable both in the business field and in daily life.
I ordered the book while I was midway through the Coursera course with the same title. The book is good, but the course is better as it covers everything in the book with, in my opinion, better explanations. Furthermore, you have the bonus of Siedel, American author and professor on the faculty at the Ross School of Business (University of Michigan), providing further relevant and insightful examples.
“Great negotiators are the ones who are not only asking important questions, but who also listen carefully to the answers.” – George Siedel
The book/course offers a complete guide from how, why, and when to negotiate, to how to close your negotiation with a binding contract. It also highlights the importance of psychology in negotiation and explains the different key strategies one can use, and when each one is most appropriate.
I ordered the book while I was midway through the Coursera course with the same title. The book is good, but the course is better as it covers everything in the book with, in my opinion, better explanations. Furthermore, you have the bonus of Siedel, American author and professor on the faculty at the Ross School of Business (University of Michigan), providing further relevant and insightful examples.
“Great negotiators are the ones who are not only asking important questions, but who also listen carefully to the answers.” – George Siedel
The book/course offers a complete guide from how, why, and when to negotiate, to how to close your negotiation with a binding contract. It also highlights the importance of psychology in negotiation and explains the different key strategies one can use, and when each one is most appropriate.
April 20, 2023
El principio de este libro es impresionante, el autor usa algunos ejemplos que pone en una de las clases de negociación más prestigiosas del mundo, donde te das cuenta la diferencia que hay entre la educación privada americana y todas las demás. Yo lo empece a leer por el curso que tiene en coursera. Esta bien si quieres una lectura rápida pero te recomiendo que si te interesa el tema, mejor hagas el curso gratuito.
El final se hace mas pesado ya que es algo mas técnico y se mete en algunas partes del derecho que para una persona no muy versada en el tema se hace cuesta arriba.
El final se hace mas pesado ya que es algo mas técnico y se mete en algunas partes del derecho que para una persona no muy versada en el tema se hace cuesta arriba.
August 20, 2020
The book have really good concepts and have a direct approach to them which gives a easy-to-read sensation to the book. Being a business/management book it also have a great combination of theoretical and pratical knowledge.
Nevertheless and to whom it may concern I don't really believe that the book is really necessary to buy to conclude the coursera course (with the same name) because you will be reading basically what the author say in the videos.
Nevertheless and to whom it may concern I don't really believe that the book is really necessary to buy to conclude the coursera course (with the same name) because you will be reading basically what the author say in the videos.
March 26, 2020
Professor Siedel is personable and thorough. This book went with the University of Michigan negotiation course I took to supplement my work skills. I enjoyed the course, but the book was plain and easy to understand. Power-packed ideas with a lot of examples, yet not so full of jargon that it makes your brain hurt. The principles in the book can be used in personal life or business life.
April 9, 2021
Una excelente lectura para aprender distintos métodos de negociación, así como detalles que muchas veces quedan olvídados a lo largo del proceso, como el tema de clausulas específicas, contratos, las leyes de distintos países. Muchos puntos sumamente importantes a la hora de realizar negociaciones internacionales.
May 30, 2021
A great good to read if you are a beginner in negotiation. It introduces you to all the key terms, concepts in a very simple language that can be understood by all. Few more detailed case studies would have been better, but I guess the author skipped then to keep things simpler.
All in all, a great book to learn negotiations!
All in all, a great book to learn negotiations!
October 1, 2025
Not the Negotiation Book I Hoped For
Negotiating for Success is clear but feels more like a textbook than a practical guide. It covers the basics, but the content is dry and lacks real-world depth. Useful if you’re brand new to negotiation, but too basic if you’re looking for advanced strategies or fresh insights.
Negotiating for Success is clear but feels more like a textbook than a practical guide. It covers the basics, but the content is dry and lacks real-world depth. Useful if you’re brand new to negotiation, but too basic if you’re looking for advanced strategies or fresh insights.
April 25, 2020
A very good guide to negotiation, exploring many themes as on how to think of a contract that is good for both sides and assessing your negotiation style. Also recommend Mr Siedel’s course in the Coursera platform
June 25, 2020
This book is recommended by the author while doing his course in Coursera. Topics covered in this book are pretty much covered in the course too. I personally choose to read this book to understand the topic more clearly.
Recommend it for starters.
Recommend it for starters.
August 27, 2020
I loved the book since I had no prior expertise in Negotiations other than basic negotiation skills any entry-level professional would have. But after reading this book I'm confident that I am way higher on the ladder when it comes to Negotiations in professional life.
December 17, 2020
Opinion.
Buen material, se que esta enfocado en negociaciones dentro de eeuu pero se pudo haber usado un poco mas de doctrina y dogmatica del derecho comparado cuando se hablo de las resoluciones alternas de conflicto.
Buen material, se que esta enfocado en negociaciones dentro de eeuu pero se pudo haber usado un poco mas de doctrina y dogmatica del derecho comparado cuando se hablo de las resoluciones alternas de conflicto.
July 29, 2021
Read as a study material while I took his course on Coursera. It was a comprehensive study material. I go back to it every now and then while I’m trying to apply ad practice negotiations every other day.
December 23, 2018
A nice introduction to negotiation science
February 12, 2019
Excelente explicación sobre los aspectos primordiales sobre las negociaciones.
June 5, 2020
Good read, easy to follow.
Useful tips and strategies. Well explained.
Useful tips and strategies. Well explained.
June 23, 2020
Muy pasado de tiempo
Ya merece actualizar su contenido a las dinámicas actuales, la economía y las relaciones humanas han cambiado considerablemente tras la crisis
Ya merece actualizar su contenido a las dinámicas actuales, la economía y las relaciones humanas han cambiado considerablemente tras la crisis
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July 20, 2020Companion text to Coursera course "Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills"
September 10, 2020
This is a great book to give you some insight into negotiation.
It helps you understand the basics and you may try to use it in your personal negotiation, like selling, buying, etc.
It helps you understand the basics and you may try to use it in your personal negotiation, like selling, buying, etc.
October 17, 2020
Excelente
February 11, 2021
Applicable to daily life
February 13, 2021
I liked some of the parts of the book but overall I didn’t really enjoy the read. I think there are a couple very valuable principles in the book but think it could have been written better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews