Negotiating in the Real World

In this summary you will learn

• How to evaluate your negotiation ability
• Why negotiators must not allow their egos to become more important than the people they represent
• How understanding your adversary’s position thoroughly can give you the upper hand

getAbstract rating

Why you should read Negotiating in the Real World

Victor Gotbaum relates his personal experiences as a negotiator for New York City’s District Council 37 union to demonstrate how negotiating strategies are developed on the fly according to each unique situation. Gotbaum dismisses books that offer a single, set-in-stone formula for handling negotiations. Every negotiation is different and requires an understanding of its precise situation. This book shows negotiators how to prepare by examining specific factors that are critical to every negotiation. Gotbaum illustrates his points with personal examples, sometimes to the degree that portions of the book read like a listing of his victories rather than as advice. Novice negotiators will find valuable assistance in this book, but it is better suited for negotiators with more experience. getAbstract recommends this book to intermediate and expert negotiators who know the relevance of Gotbaum’s anecdotes and may appreciate his counsel even more.

About the Author

Victor Gotbaum  is the director of the National Center for Collective Bargaining at Baruch College. He is the founder and former director of the Center for Labor-Management Policy Studies at the City University of New York. He continues to work as a consultant in labor-management relations