Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance (J-B Warren Bennis Series) [Hardcover]

George Kohlrieser (Author), Joe W. Forehand (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: J-B Warren Bennis Series | Publication Date: June 16, 2006

George Kohlrieser—an international leadership professor, consultant, and veteran hostage negotiator—explains that it is only by openly facing conflict that we can truly progress through the most difficult business challenges. In this provocative book, he reveals how the proven techniques and psychological insights used in hostage negotiation can be applied successfully to any personal or business relationship. Step by step, he outlines the seven key factors that anyone can use to remove the blocks that stand in the way of resolving tough problems and shows how business leaders, in particular, can develop and access the skills they need to create trust and a positive mind-set in their companies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"interesting and convincing" (Ascot News, December 2006)

"Read this book…" (Reading Chronicle, December 2006)

 

Review

"George Kohlrieser's brilliant book offers a unique and penetrating perspective on how people can free themselves from being held hostage to their self-imposed limitations. Hostage at the Table is filled with inspiring stories and the depth of Kohlrieser's insights that will enable the reader to become a fully empowered leader. It is a must-read."
—Bill George, author, Authentic Leadership; former chairman & CEO, Medtronic

"In Hostage at the Table George Kohlrieser brings his unique expertise in the emotional land mines of negotiation to the challenges of leadership. Leaders everywhere will find much of practical use in this smart and engaging look at the emotional undercurrents that make or break an organization."
—Daniel Goleman, author, Emotional Intelligence

"George Kohlrieser's deep and insightful thinking on leadership has had a fundamental impact on our company. His teachings have changed my life. Read this book, and it will change yours, too."
—Nick Shreiber, president and CEO, Tetra Pak Group 2000-2005

"A new look at what every leader needs to know about controlling emotions, relating, dialoging, negotiating, and breaking free of being hostage to the past or to one's current environment. This book is a practical masterpiece."
—Jim Allen, M.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City; president, International Transactional Analysis Association

"George Kohlrieser offers us a fascinating and valuable blend of rich psychological insight into the delicate process of negotiation mixed with his powerful personal experiences as a hostage and a hostage negotiator. I recommend the book!"
—William Ury, author, Getting Past No and The Third Side

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (June 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787983845
• ISBN-13: 978-0787983840
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece in terms both of content and reader friendliness!, April 12, 2007

By 

Emmanuel Kondylis "Professor, University of P... (Greece) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance (J-B Warren Bennis Series) (Hardcover)

This book is a masterpiece in terms both of content and reader friendliness!
It is a distillation of the wisdom from an extraordinary, life long, experience of the author, on countless business - and not only - leadership settings, practically in any part of the world.
The reader will be walked through "an emotional experience that will stimulate his heart, mind and spirit", so that - in a unique practical way - will be taken to "new places in his personal and professional life".
He will understand (1) the power of the mind's eye (the way we view the world - "weltanschaung"), (2) the primary need ("just like air, food and water") of a secure base ("never to be left without one!") that results from bonding to other people and from bonding to stimulating concepts (goals, countries, objects, beliefs, religions...) and (3) the art of conflict resolution (through effective dialogue, negotiations and E.Q. management).
Based on the above ideas, Professor George Kohlrieser is showing to all of us how to live with a "hostage-free state of mind" and to achieve high performance in our lives and our corporations.
George concludes: "Take time to reclaim yourself and decide to be who you want to be. Live life as an adventure, a journey, and view it as an opportunity to learn, to contribute, to grow every minute, every hour, every day. Accept the tremendous power that is within you, and, with humility, make the choices that you want in order to enable your life to be fulfilling with a hostage-free state of mind".
Personally, I would like to express publicly my sincere gratitude for the opportunity that I had to read this exceptional book. I have no other words but to recommend this book for everyone who wishes to become an effective leader for the benefit of his company, himself, his family, his friends and associates, and the world as a whole...

Review by:
Emmanuel C. Kondylis, Ph.D.
Professor of Strategic Leadership and Director:Management Unit & MBA Program,University of Piraeus (Greece),
also
Chairman:Tourist Development Company, S.A.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great impact for life, June 29, 2006

By 

Franklin R. Wilkins (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance (J-B Warren Bennis Series) (Hardcover)

Forget about this is a business book - this is a life book! I have been lucky enough to work with associates who have been familiar with Dr. Kohlrieser's philosophies of dealing with conflict.

I am currently dealing with several challenges in my life, and reading this book has allowed me to deal with those challenges and move to a "hostage free" state of mind. This book has made such an impact personally and professionally that I ordered 5 books for my brothers and several friends. I unfortunately ordered too few and I am now placing another order for 5 more.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST PRACTICAL BOOK EVER ON CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, June 28, 2006

By 

Francisco Szekely "Dr. Szekely" (BERLIN, GERMANY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance (J-B Warren Bennis Series) (Hardcover)

Hostage at the Table is a "breakthrough" book for all those who practice and teach conflict management and conflict resolution. Through his practical and highly relevant experience as hostage negotiator with the Police department in Ohio, Dr. Kohlrieser has created a wonderful metaphor which helps to understand why many times we become a hostage of our past and of our own perceptions. This very valuable book is insightful, easy to read and highly motivational.

As a Management Professor in Germany and a certified coach I am already using Dr. Kohlrieser's book with top executives and my clients. Hostage at the Table is already a "classical" in management development education. Every coach must read Dr. Kohlrieser's book

Dr. Francisco Szekely.
Adjunct Professor of Responsible Leadership
European School of Management and Technology, Germany
And former Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural resources of Mexico