The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World

Great negotiators, Professor Wheeler writes, are like gifted jazz musicians-they have mastered the basics but excel where circumstances require adjusting to changed circumstances. For the rest of us, it is enough to grasp his key lesson: circumstances do change during negotiations and we are well-advised to adjust accordingly. Simple, perhaps, but profound. This terrific book works on three levels:1. For the casual reader-it is a great read. Well and simply written, chock-full of terrific stories about very recognizable everyday negotiation situations.2. For just about every reader-casual or not-it is a useful primer on the guts of the negotiation process. Indeed, many of the stories feature people who are not professional negotiators but find themselves engaged in negotiations which may change their lives. Professor Wheeler's advice is both challenging-you have to respond to changed circumstances-and reassuring-here's how you do it. I am confident that anyone who reads and internalizes the lessons will earn back many times the cost of the book in his or her next negotiation.3. For experienced negotiators, the Art of Negotiation is a jewel-but, no doubt like Professor Wheeler's classroom, it places demands on the reader. I found myself reliving a lifetime of negotiating to see where my experiences fit with his sage advice. What might I have done differently? What should I do in my upcoming negotiations? The Appendix, which summarizes the lessons, warrants more than one reading. Indeed, I think I will reread it before beginning all my future negotiations.

This book is excellent! I find the most value from it using it self directed - it's helpful to have a framework for entering a negotiation, and surprising to realize how often what I want isn't clear to myself. It's also an excellent point of reference for trying to get your kids to do anything

Who would have thought a book about the techniques of negotiation would be such an entertaining read? It seems such a tense business to most. Well, first of all, "The Art of Negotiation" is rich in anecdotes that recount actual transactions (and sometimes confrontations!) - a home purchase, sale of a company, a zoning dispute. The variety of turns these negotiations took based on choices made by the adversaries is followed here. And this book argues effectively that 'adversaries' may indeed be a misguiding word, as co operation and above all, imagination, sometimes of antic dimension, is what works in the difficult situations where parties seem irreconcilable at the start.The author respectfully acknowledges previous research, surveys and writing on the topic of negotiation. But it seems to me that this book might be all you need to get the best deal available whether you are buying or selling a car or a country.

Michael Wheeler's The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World makes a huge contribution to the negotiation literature. It illuminates the models developed in negotiation books by some of his colleagues in the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School by suggesting that negotiators should use those tools but not be controlled by them. It makes central an idea that might be a bit too implicit in its predecessor books: That to do well in negotiation, one must improvise, which often means departing, at least briefly, from a particular model. He makes a compelling case and provides guidelines and engaging and edifying examples, not only from negotiation but also from jazz and improvisational acting. I believe (and hope) that this book will profoundly influence negotiation study, training and practice.Leonard RiskinChesterfield Smith Professor of LawUniversity of Florida Levin College of LawVisiting ProfessorNorthwestern University School of Law

I have been fumbling through the world of sales for about a year now as one of the many roles I'm responsible for at a small business. I'm only 1/4 of the way through the text, but thus far the guidance has been incredibly relevant and practical. The author takes concepts which at first glance appear to be too complex, dynamic and seemingly unique to my situation and lays them in in general terms with a process that is consistent and repeatable.It's also been comforting to see that these engagements really do require agility and creativity. I don't feel so bad about adapting the terms of the deal for the larger clients to suit their situation now.

As a lawyer for more than forty years I've done a lot of negotiating, and seen many other negotiators, like me, full of self-confidence that their way was the best way. As Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Folger Shakespeare Library, I also saw what a difference a seminar in negotiating skills presented to the Folger staff by Prof. Wheeler made in their ability to secure better results when buying rare books and various services. His book is the whole story, practical, immediately helpful, easily understood because clearly written, it teaches both that every situation is different, and that there is no magic formula to apply in every situation. Even if you think you're good at this stuff, this book's lessons will make you better.

This book covers a lot more ground than pure "negotiation". Any one who deals with other people in one way or another can get something out of the concepts of interpersonal relationships that are depicted. The examples come from the world of business, sports, and entertainment. In addition, the author provides very useful summaries at the end of each chapter.That said, if this is the first book of its kind that you are tackling, I would recommend starting with the classic book Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury, which is referenced prominently by Dr. Wheeler.

I like the methodology and the case studies discussions. Very structured approach to negotiation with a view to reality.I was inspired to take the Negotiation course at Harvard by Michael Wheeler

Very good conditions!

Negotiation is both art and science and requires the same level of sensitivity to other players as does jazz. Chaos is the only constant in our world, and this book gives perspective on how to cope with that in the negotiation framework. Negotiation is both a dance and a song, and it requires each player to listen, feel and be aware of what the other players in the band or dancers in the dance are doing, and to react accordingly.. Well-written and practical.

This is a great book to understand others point of view, preparing before deals and being more aware of the outcome at hand. Anyone who is in business should buy this book. It will make you sharper in your decisions.

L'auteur emprunte des bonnes pratiques de négociation à des domaines en apparence éloignés, comme le jazz ou le théâtre d'improvisation. Il utilise aussi des exemples plus "business" pour aider à préparer et mener sa négociation dans des environnements toujours plus mouvants. Son modèle, "apprendre, s'adapter, influencer" est décliné dans chacun des chapitres. Le 1er chapitre, sur la préparation et la définition de sa stratégie de négociation est particulièrement utile.