The Skilled Negotiator: Mastering the Language of Engagement [Paperback]

Kathleen Reardon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2004 | ISBN-10: 078796655X | ISBN-13: 978-0787966553 | Edition: 1

In The Skilled Negotiator Kathleen Reardon engagingly describes how to expand on negotiation strategies and develop language skills to enhance success in negotiation. The book is filled with real-life examples   revealing how to detect subtleties in manner and speech that negotiation novices fail to notice. You'll learn how to identify the 'choice points' that occur during negotiations, how to influence and redirect the conversation to address what you need and ultimately get what you want.   The author helps you:

• Identify your negotiation style and its limitations
• Use language strategically whether you're being subtle or direct
• Recognize deception and manage it
• Position and persuade artfully
• Effectively negotiate one-on-one and in teams
• Deal constructively with your own and others—heated emotions

Editorial Reviews

Review

“When I negotiate on behalf of my children’s charities, I cannot offer what most people in business want: personal advantage or money. I can only appeal to selflessness and to caring about a shared future through doing best by children. Kathleen Reardon has been my negotiating mentor in three charities over twenty years; with her help we have raised over $150 million and we help over 125,000 children each month! Negotiating is an art and science: its skills can be learned . . . and Dr. Reardon is its best teacher.”
—Peter Samuelson, founder, Starlight Children’s Foundation, First Star Public Policy Initiative

“Rarely is a topic so critical to business as negotiation advanced as far as Reardon has done. Her book is an exceptional breakout of the craft. Wish I’d had it years ago.”
—Tania A. Modic, managing director, Western Investments Capital

“Kathleen Kelly Reardon is a skilled negotiator both in the sense of coming to a win-win situation with others, but also using her considerable intellect to negotiate the currents of life. The Skilled Negotiator is a book, therefore, written by a skilled negotiator. Highly recommended!”
—Tony Buzan, author, The Mind Map Book

From the Inside Flap

Whatever your job or profession, sooner or later you will need to negotiate–lobby for a pay raise, restructure a team, agree on a distributor, cope with conflict, further your interests, or seek common ground.

In The Skilled Negotiator Kathleen Reardon engagingly describes how to expand on negotiation strategies and develop language skills to enhance success in negotiation. The book is filled with real-life examples revealing how to detect subtleties in manner and speech that negotiation novices fail to notice. You’ll learn how to identify the "choice points" that occur during negotiations, how to influence and redirect the conversation to address what you need and ultimately get what you want. The author helps you

• Identify your negotiation style and its limitations
• Use language strategically whether you’re being subtle or direct
• Recognize deception and manage it
• Position and persuade artfully
• Effectively negotiate one-on-one and in teams
• Deal constructively with your own and others’ heated emotions

The Skilled Negotiator will help you to become one too by uncovering what adept negotiators know and by coaching you through strategy learning and practice to achieve a rare, but reachable, proficiency.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078796655X
• ISBN-13: 978-0787966553
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #544,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As you may already know if you're visiting this page from Huffington Post or one of my blogs (comebacksatwork.com) or bardscove, I'm a professor of management and organization at the University of Southern California where I also spent over fifteen years on the faculty of preventive medicine.

My work began with a focus on persuasion. PERSUASION IN PRACTICE, my first book (revised edition), is a thorough overview of persuasion research and theory. It was described by Public Opinion Quarterly as "a landmark contribution to the field."

My first trade book, THEY DON'T GET IT, DO THEY?, focused on the similarities and differences in male and female communication and how those affect working together. It followed a "Harvard Business Review" reprint bestseller, "The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk." I appeared on Good Morning American and in a segment done for NBC Nightly News and later The Today Show.

Then came THE SECRET HANDSHAKE, which was an amazon business and nonfiction bestseller for some time. It still sells well because it's an inside look at the politics of business that each of who works deals with on a daily basis. Four types of political arenas are described from mildly political to pathologically political. And, styles that suit each type from the Purist to the Maneuverer are introduced. There's much to learn here about the shadow side of business and what you can do to thrive no matter the level of politics where you work.

IT'S ALL POLITICS followed and took a somewhat more advanced look at what was introduced in THE SECRET HANDSHAKE. It is also very hands-on so you can start experimenting right away with the strategies provided. One of the best aspects is a collection of scenarios not uncommon at work that you can immediately begin to connect with your own. And, then try out the suggested ways of dealing with them.

THE SKILLED NEGOTIATOR, academic and trade versions, include what I've shared with my negotiation students and senior executives I've coached. The trade version didn't get much attention due to focus on the academic one, but I love this book. As the amazon top reviewer wrote, it is very special and anyone who negotiates will enjoy it.

My latest book, with Christopher Noblet, is COMEBACKS AT WORK: USING CONVERSATION TO MASTER CONFRONTATION. I'd wanted to write this book for some time because when I consulted, coached and taught in the international MBA and Executive MBA programs at USC, I'd regularly meet very talented people who just couldn't respond effectively on their feet. And that hurt them at work. This book provides what seems like the secret of those who are good at responding in awkward, challenging, embarrassing, and offensive situations. And, it provides a host of comebacks to learn and practice using at work and elsewhere. These range from mild to what we call "wish you were never born" comebacks.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skilled Presentation of Negotiating Skills, February 23, 2006

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Skilled Negotiator: Mastering the Language of Engagement (Paperback)

Kathleen Kelley Reardon's book is packed with smart, solid advice. It is well suited for experienced, patient negotiators. She brings an impressive level of knowledge to the table. Reardon makes a fine point about the need to match one's delivery to the audience and the situation, and then - like a chef who just keeps cooking - repeatedly offers the reader extra hefty servings of information to digest. Like a solid restaurant dinner, this is often a good thing - the book is truly packed with useful information - but it is sometimes challenging, particularly for beginners. Novices may be daunted, for instance, by the list of 64 different persuasive strategies a top tactician might use. Most of these approaches are worthwhile, but Reardon really did rustle up this buffet for her title audience, "skilled negotiators." We find her tactics, theories and specific suggestions focused, intelligent and well researched. Penetrating readers will harvest lots of substance to enrich their negotiation practices. And beginners, well, you'll have a lot to digest.