Negotiate Your Way to Riches

How to Convince Others to Give You What You Want

Career Press, 2003

15 min read

10 take-aways

Audio & text

What's inside?

To be a strong negotiator, know your stuff, know their stuff, control the process and don’t be afraid to turn up the heat.

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Editorial Rating

Qualities

Innovative
Applicable

Recommendation

If you have participated in negotiations before, you'll know how to decide what sections of the plentiful advice here apply to your needs. From the most basic and self-evident advice (get it in writing) to the psychological (stay friendly) to the more sophisticated (be aware of your opponent's culture), author Peter Wink tries to cover a variety of negotiating situations and tactics. His suggestions vary from hardball (turn up the heat and use uncomfortable chairs), which may be difficult to implement, to puffball (walk away smiling), depending on what your opponent throws at you. And if he sounds a little paranoid when describing negotiations that went wrong, take his experiences as a cautionary warning. If you need to do a better job of getting what you want, getAbstract.com recommends this useful guide. Much of its advice will be helpful and applicable - just think like a negotiator and choose wisely.

Summary

The First Steps

Approach negotiations strategically by planning in detail how to get what you want. Set up your tactics, the deliberate steps you are going to take to put your plan into action. Understand your "leverage," the advantages that will help you convince the other side that you bring more to the table than they do. Everything in life is an opportunity to negotiate, if you develop a "negotiator's mindset." That involves taking four simple steps:

Recognize negotiating opportunities - They are everywhere. You can even negotiate in the bookstore or the grocery store. Author Peter Wink negotiated a deal from his hair stylist to come at a set time for a set price. You can negotiate with a mechanic to fix your car at his home for a better price.
Visualize yourself as a skillful haggler - You have to believe that you are a negotiator to become a negotiator.
Tell yourself that you can win every time you negotiate - Believe it.
Practice negotiating - Use your skills every day.

Gathering Information

To negotiate effectively and successfully, you need to know everything about your...

About the Author

Peter Wink is president of his own management and marketing consulting company called Promoter Extraordinaire. His clients have included Sweet Traditions L.L.C./Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, BluBlocker Corporation, HairDiamong International and others.

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V. K. 8 years ago

Good concise summary of this book. Negotiation is always tricky and this tips will prime readers to at least navigate in an informed manner.

Peter Wink