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The Negotiator's Toolbox: Winning Strategies for Corporate Buyers and Small Businesses
Have you ever wondered how to get into the head of your negotiation partner? In easy to follow steps with lots of practical examples and anecdotes from the author's extensive business career, The Negotiator's Toolbox guides the reader through the preparation and execution of a strategic negotiation. In part 1, the book explains how to prepare a negotiation, taking into account the personalities involved, their motivations, fears, and behavioral patterns. This information determines how to set achievable goals with psychology in mind. In part 2 The Negotiator's Toolbox introduces important negotiation strategies and corresponding tactics using real life stories to illustrate the choices. What will be the correct strategy to achieve our goals? In part 3, The Negotiator's Toolbox guides the reader through the actual negotiation, from question techniques and stress management tools to consciously interpreting body language, tone of voice, and detecting lies. Part 4 offers real life cases and their resolutions. The book is designed for the corporate buyer, purchasing manager, and small business owner. It contains more than a dozen illustrations and checklists, as well as over fifty photographs.
- GenresBusiness
334 pages, Paperback
Published September 18, 2020
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 7, 2021
You may not think you’re involved in negotiations, but you are. All of us are. Almost every week, sometimes every day. This new book by a professional negotiator uses real-life examples to examine how negotiation works in the business world. It’s also enjoyable reading for anyone who wants to better understand the principles of negotiation and how to apply them in everyday life. After you read the book, you may think of people it could help – including yourself.
For me, one of the most valuable sections of the book helps identify and understand the personality traits of people. The author identifies these traits and arranges them into four broad categories – scientists, farmers, merchants, and hunters. Reading and reflecting on his insights helped me understand the psychological motivation of each group ranging from fact-based personalities, those with fairly-rigid boundaries, people always trying to seal the deal, and those seeking ego gratification by pursuing trophies.
The second most valuable section for me discusses how to understand body language in negotiation. It comes complete with photos of one of the author’s sons illustrating telltale signs from head to toe – in the eyes, mouth, face, arms, hands, fingers, legs, and feet. Also, in the overall posture. As the author says, professional poker players understand the importance of these.
When the author sent me a pre-publication manuscript for feedback, I was intimidated at first by the subject matter. Here was a book full of detailed examples of his negotiations in international business, and I’m just a retiree with modest career experience in government and business. But the book also contains his invaluable insights about people involved in negotiations whether they are corporate bigwigs, government officials, fellow office workers, buyers and sellers in everyday commerce, friends, neighbors, and even family members.
As he explains, children are some of the most formidable negotiators even without formal training. I can vouch for that after raising three sons and now watching them raise my grandchildren. Food. Clothing. Schoolwork. Chores. Leisure activities. Pocket money. Curfews. Access to the family car. College majors. Career choices. My father and I pushed and pulled at each other throughout his life, sometimes with frustration and anger.
Looking back, I can see that the give and take of negotiations involving parents and children (and spouses) spilled over to negotiations in my work. I wasn’t always successful at home or work, and this book helped me recognize some of the mistakes I made in both environments. Some mistakes cost me dearly – a broken marriage, failing in several workplace tasks over the years, and failing in some personal real estate ventures.
Looking forward, I can also see how the principles in this book could help my sons at home and work, and I plan to give each of them a copy. Hopefully, it will help them avoid some of my mistakes.
For me, one of the most valuable sections of the book helps identify and understand the personality traits of people. The author identifies these traits and arranges them into four broad categories – scientists, farmers, merchants, and hunters. Reading and reflecting on his insights helped me understand the psychological motivation of each group ranging from fact-based personalities, those with fairly-rigid boundaries, people always trying to seal the deal, and those seeking ego gratification by pursuing trophies.
The second most valuable section for me discusses how to understand body language in negotiation. It comes complete with photos of one of the author’s sons illustrating telltale signs from head to toe – in the eyes, mouth, face, arms, hands, fingers, legs, and feet. Also, in the overall posture. As the author says, professional poker players understand the importance of these.
When the author sent me a pre-publication manuscript for feedback, I was intimidated at first by the subject matter. Here was a book full of detailed examples of his negotiations in international business, and I’m just a retiree with modest career experience in government and business. But the book also contains his invaluable insights about people involved in negotiations whether they are corporate bigwigs, government officials, fellow office workers, buyers and sellers in everyday commerce, friends, neighbors, and even family members.
As he explains, children are some of the most formidable negotiators even without formal training. I can vouch for that after raising three sons and now watching them raise my grandchildren. Food. Clothing. Schoolwork. Chores. Leisure activities. Pocket money. Curfews. Access to the family car. College majors. Career choices. My father and I pushed and pulled at each other throughout his life, sometimes with frustration and anger.
Looking back, I can see that the give and take of negotiations involving parents and children (and spouses) spilled over to negotiations in my work. I wasn’t always successful at home or work, and this book helped me recognize some of the mistakes I made in both environments. Some mistakes cost me dearly – a broken marriage, failing in several workplace tasks over the years, and failing in some personal real estate ventures.
Looking forward, I can also see how the principles in this book could help my sons at home and work, and I plan to give each of them a copy. Hopefully, it will help them avoid some of my mistakes.
December 24, 2020
Although better known by his groundbreaking and well-resourced histories, Heribert von Feilitzsch is also a remarkable successful entrepreneur. In 2001 he started his own international trade and construction company after many years in the automotive industry where he honed his skills as a negotiator. This book is the result.
Unlike books on negotiation written by former FBI agents championing their successful cases, or retired CEO of major corporations reflecting on past glories, this Negotiator’s Toolbox is exactly that: a compendium of practical tools which have been proven to work. Each of them is amply illustrated by clear narratives outlining the situation and the personal experiences of the author. This focus is particularly helpful for small business owners dealing with suppliers and operating at a competitive disadvantage with larger competitors.
As an independent contractor who has negotiated with such diverse megaliths as the NEA, the US State Department, and the College Board, I found the examples and tools highly practical. As a freelance writer and scholar, I also discovered ways in which I could apply many of these workable solutions to my own negotiations with magazine editors and publishers. Finally, many of the extras such as how to reduce stress, how to detect lies, how to interpret tone, I found invaluable. With more than a dozen illustrations and checklists as well as over fifty photographs, this is a valuable addition to the library of the independent professional.
Unlike books on negotiation written by former FBI agents championing their successful cases, or retired CEO of major corporations reflecting on past glories, this Negotiator’s Toolbox is exactly that: a compendium of practical tools which have been proven to work. Each of them is amply illustrated by clear narratives outlining the situation and the personal experiences of the author. This focus is particularly helpful for small business owners dealing with suppliers and operating at a competitive disadvantage with larger competitors.
As an independent contractor who has negotiated with such diverse megaliths as the NEA, the US State Department, and the College Board, I found the examples and tools highly practical. As a freelance writer and scholar, I also discovered ways in which I could apply many of these workable solutions to my own negotiations with magazine editors and publishers. Finally, many of the extras such as how to reduce stress, how to detect lies, how to interpret tone, I found invaluable. With more than a dozen illustrations and checklists as well as over fifty photographs, this is a valuable addition to the library of the independent professional.
December 1, 2020
Editorial Review by Gary Noesner: "The Negotiator's Toolbox" by Heribert von Feilitzsch is a must addition to the library of anyone wishing to better understand the key elements involved in having a successful negotiation. Feilitzsch provides great insights into understanding yourself, your team, and the entities you are negotiating with. He helps focus on proper preparation before the negotiation session, and identifies the ways in which a negotiator can seek to better understand the motivation and objectives of the other parties involved. His concise explanation of relationship building and other key concepts is insightful. In addition, his use of meaningful anecdotes to illustrate the key points make the lessons easy to understand and apply. I highly recommend this book to all who wish to be more successful in sales, client relationships, and all manner of business interactions.
Gary W. Noesner
Chief, FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit (retired)"
Gary W. Noesner
Chief, FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit (retired)"
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews