Negotiating with Giants [Paperback]

Peter D. Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2008

HOW DO YOU NEGOTIATE WITH WAL-MART? With America's President over going to war? An improved education for your kids? A cleaner environment? An ethical issue with an intimidating boss? An unequal personal relationship? A Super Bowl victory for a team of losers? A capital infusion for a struggling start-up? Better healthcare for your family? The return of stolen treasure, lost rights or a canceled credit card? Your survival if you're taken hostage by an armed killer?

IN THIS AWARD-WINNING NATIONAL BESTSELLER, NEGOTIATION EXPERT PETER JOHNSTON surprises us with answers to these far-flung questions, laying out unique strategies and concrete steps we can all use to handle the growing number of giants in our personal and professional lives. As readers, we travel across time--through riveting, real-life stories--uncovering the secrets of successful smaller players so we, too, can get what we want against the odds.

Editorial Reviews

Review

1. "Very valuable...What you need to know to get a good deal on just about anything." --CNN News, Issue #1

2. "Whereas Getting to Yes provided the broad strokes of negotiation strategy, Mr. Johnston uses a finer brush to fill in an important corner of the canvas...Fans of Robert Greene's use of historical anecdotes in his best-selling 48 Laws of Power will recognize and enjoy a similarly informative and engaging storytelling style in Negotiating with Giants." --Jeff Davis, Embassy Magazine

3. "...negotiations expert Peter D. Johnston has written a highly readable book geared to helping underdogs find practical ways to negotiate with larger, more powerful competitors." --Laura Ramsay, The National Post

4. "It's a fantastic read!" --Tommy Schnurmacher, CJAD Radio

5. "If you feel like David looking up at Goliath, this insightful and entertaining book is now your best weapon--for individuals, entrepreneurs, smaller organizations and smaller nations." --Mark Edwards, Founder and President, Spectrum Limited

6. "An absolute gem to be guarded jealously from giants. One of the world's leading negotiation experts changes how we should be thinking about our most challenging negotiations and conflicts." --Jules B. Bloch, LLB, Professional Mediator and Arbitrator

7. "Peter Johnston speaks with giants. He also sizes them up, figures out their weaknesses, then goes for the kill in a polite, well-informed way...This 250-pager is packed with strategies on how to outsmart a Goliath in business, government or even between friends." --Amei Mai, Times Colonist Newspaper

8. "Negotiating with Giants is entertaining and any one of its six chapters will unveil insights you'll want to pass along to a friend, colleague or family member." --David Schneider, Business Class Magazine

9. "Unlike many negotiation books that require you to pinch yourself to stay awake through their dry, academic prose, Negotiating with Giants has an almost folksy style that easily carries the reader through the six chapters...With Johnston's book in hand, readers have some powerful ammunition they can use to fight and win." --Steve Proctor, The Chronicle Herald

10. "Whether you're dealing with a banker, a landlord, suppliers, customers or employees, your success is often wholly contingent upon your ability to get people onside...this is clearly terrain people are interested in learning more about." ----Noel Hulsman,

About the Author

PETER JOHNSTON is a negotiator, advisor and mediator whose expertise is sought worldwide. He has worked with clients ranging from Wall Street bankers, UN officials and political leaders to start-up entrepreneurs, cheated spouses and convicted felons. His ground-breaking results have been formally recognized by the US government for their positive economic and social impact. He is a Harvard MBA, trained journalist and former corporate and investment banker.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Negotiation Press. Available through Baker & Taylor; 1st edition (April 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980942101
• ISBN-13: 978-0980942101
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #504,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Law > Business > Arbitration, Negotiation & Mediation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful & entertaining...a powerful combination!, May 14, 2008

By 

G. McTaggart (Ottawa, ON, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Negotiating with Giants (Paperback)

Each of us, at some point in our lives, will confront our own goliath: a boss, company, government or nation that's dramatically bigger and more powerful than us. While the odds may seem stacked against us, "Negotiating with Giants" provides a golden ray of hope. The author reminds us that we're "negotiating", not simply when we're "at the table", but whenever we try to influence our giant in any way. He then clearly defines the secrets and strategies for "getting what you want, against the odds", with a writing style that is crisp, strong and confident. While the book is highly thorough and intelligent, it is equally engaging and entertaining. What makes this book truly stand out is the rich stories the author draws on to bring his key messages to life. Dozens of true stories, encompassing business, political, social, and individual situations, are viewed through the lens of giant negotiations. These stories alone make great reading.

"Negotiating with Giants" is well-organized and highly accessible. It includes chapter summaries ("Final Thoughts"), and a four page, back-of-the-book summary (more authors should include one!) that cross-references the negotiation secrets and strategies, with stories and page numbers. These thoughtful features make me believe "Negotiating with Giants" will be an indispensable reference tool for business executives, politicians, citizens and activists...or anyone else, for that matter, facing a goliath.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, it's on now!, June 10, 2010

By 

Willie Hobbs "William Ashanti Hobbs" (the dirty-dirty) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Negotiating with Giants (Paperback)

I've grown tired of how people state that they're going to "call corporate" as if they were calling God Almighty. With mergers and conglomerates on the brink of monopolies, it's very easy to feel powerless against their nasty practices. "Negotiating with Giants" gives you the ammo you need against these fat cats. The stories are engaging and poignant. The strategies are so precise you feel as though you're prying into top secret files. Johnston not only helps us defend ourselves in these overly-litigous times but offers hope on how to improve the world by turning that defense into a wily offense.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read business book, August 19, 2008

By 

J. Aragon "Feminist Educator" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Negotiating with Giants (Paperback)

This is a great book that many will appreciate and learn from. The author uses examples from history (Canadian, American, and International), politics, popular culture, personal vignettes, and of course, some business examples. This isn't your typical dry business book. Johnston is a witty story teller and I found myself wanting to finish the book.

You see, I've started many business books only to put them down. I am not the usual target market for this genre of books, but my husband is and so occasionally I'll grab the book (or the various business magazines that we subscribe to) and read it (them).

This book had me thinking about negotiating deadlines with colleagues and even the possibility of impending salary negotiations. What I found really useful: the inclusion of chapter synopses that I think business types will love. I also read through all the footnotes, hey, I am an academic afterall, and enjoyed his concise, yet informative notes.

I was really impressed with the amount of research that was undertaken with this book. At times it read like a story, which I think is useful for most readers. The bulleted areas explaining the message or key points of each chapter were useful. I'm still thinking about the book and the shared stories.

Overall, this is a great book and I look forward to talking to others about it. I think some of my students who are close to graduating and thinking about full-time work would benefit from reading the book.