« The book is a good basic guide to getting the most out of a negotiation. » Anyone who has listened to a jazz band knows that other musicians continue to support and enrich the music with their contributions while the soloist plays. This is called « comping » in jazz – as an accompaniment or complement to what other players are doing. There is an art of composing in music and an equivalent art, Wheeler writes, when he composes during negotiations. « Even while your counterpart is talking, you should get involved in the conversation and shape their behavior, » he explains. « The questions you ask, or even a nod, can encourage constructive statements and prevent the other party from standing in a corner. » Skillful compection can be « transformative, » Wheeler writes. « Even if they talk a lot more than you do, you can have the conversation by supporting their best ideas and reshaping others. Ultimately, they may feel like you`ve accepted their proposal if you`ve skillfully led them to say a lot of what you wanted. « Getting to Yes meets `Round Midnight` in this very readable exploration of the twists and turns of real-world negotiations. In his new book, The Art of Negotiation, Michael Wheeler offers excellent practical advice on how to deal with predictable unpredictable ways in which negotiations don`t stay in the script. A member of Harvard Law School`s world-renowned negotiation program presents the powerful approach to next-generation negotiation.

A member of the world-renowned Negotiation Program at Harvard Law School introduces the powerful approach to next-generation negotiation. For many years, two approaches to negotiation prevailed: the « win-win » method, exemplified in Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher, William Ury and Bruce Patton; and the challenging negotiating style of Herb Cohen`s You Can Negotiate Anything. Michael Wheeler, an award-winning professor at Harvard Business School, now offers a dynamic alternative to universal strategies that don`t match real-world realities. The art of negotiation shows how master negotiators thrive in the face of chaos and uncertainty. They don`t get caught up in rigid plans. Instead, they understand negotiation as a process of exploration that requires continuous learning, adaptation, and influence. Their agility allows them to reach an agreement when others are stuck. Michael Wheeler sheds light on the improvised nature of negotiations, drawing on his own research and work with colleagues at Program on Negotiation. He explains how the best practices of diplomats like George J. Mitchell, negotiator Bruce Wasserstein and Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub are applied to everyday transactions like selling a house, buying a car, or getting a new contract. Wheeler also learns lessons in agility and creativity in areas such as jazz, sports, theater, and even military science. « Whether it`s partnering or overcoming differences, the art of negotiation is crucial for today`s nonprofits.

Michael Wheeler`s book is an insightful guide full of data, metaphors and compelling stories on how to negotiate creatively, imaginatively and effectively. « The secret to a successful negotiation is not only preparation and a good plan, but also inspired improvisation. So far, there has never been a book on this important and overlooked aspect of negotiation, but now, thanks to Mike Wheeler, we have a beautifully written, insightful and practical guide to the « jazz » of negotiation. The art of negotiation is a real jewel and an essential contribution to literature! « This brilliantly readable book is full of powerful tips for dealing with the complexity and uncertainty of real-world negotiations with a mastery of improvisation. Michael Wheeler, a professor at Harvard Business School and an expert on negotiation, praises Roger Ury`s groundbreaking book on negotiations, Getting to Yes. He praises the book for changing the adversary`s negotiating attitude to what has become known as « win-win » negotiation (although, ironically, this specific term is not included in the book). And he believes that contradictory books that advocate a more adversarial approach « forget that what`s going on around him happens. » « Michael Wheeler has written a new business classic. It presents powerful trading strategies and techniques for managers across all sectors. Being attentive, as Wheeler calls the kind of focused attention that « goes far beyond active listening, » is how jazz musicians stay in sync with their fellow musicians. Because they are constantly focused on what others are doing rather than what they are doing, they can easily change and adapt to someone else`s leadership. The negotiations are about « taking care to cut off the internal dialogue and absorb what is happening here and now. » Instead of a slow-paced negotiation approach, Wheeler argues for a more dynamic – i.e., ever-changing – approach that more accurately reflects the fluidity of real-world situations. Specifically, he writes, « Effective negotiation requires rapid learning, adaptation, and cycles of influence. » Learning means paying attention to changes during negotiations, such as the scope of the issues discussed, the best ways to resolve them, and the nature of the relationship between negotiators.

Although Wheeler acknowledges that such learning can take place in many negotiations, it often happens by accident. Instead, it advocates conscious and active learning – that is, consciously listening to what is happening in the negotiation, rather than internally to consolidating your position and forming your responses. « Your counterpart may only be in the middle, but you`re already saying what to say when she`s done — if you let her go that far, » Wheeler says. « While you`re busy stifling feelings, weighing options, or interpreting something that`s been said before, the interaction can run away from you. » « Professor Wheeler creatively draws on a wide variety of professions such as NASCAR drivers, jazz musicians and improvisation players, broadening our awareness of negotiations and equipping us with practical and innovative tools to master complex negotiations. The art of trading is filled with specific methods – the trade triangle that defines your baseline, your opponent`s base, and constraints is a strong example – and illustrated by many stories. Wheeler did not write a manifesto, but a practical toolkit for those who want to master the frustrating ambiguity of real negotiations. However, as Wheeler notes in his new book, The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World, he has a big problem with Ury`s text, which can be summed up simply: « It`s not that simple. » Wheeler believes that the rules and methods of win-win negotiation presented by Ury and dozens of others since the book`s publication ignore the complexity and ambiguity of real-world negotiations. Even a basic concept such as BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) requires clarity and rigidity that is actually hard to find in negotiations.

You may have drawn a line at a certain price when you buy a home, Wheeler says, but what if you find the perfect home that`s just over budget? This happened to the authors` friends, who followed the plan and let go of the house of their dreams. Today, they can nostalgically walk past this house, just four blocks from the house they bought, wondering, « Did we do the right thing? » « A clear and creative approach to negotiation on an equal footing with the canonical texts Getting to Yes and You Can Negotiate Anything. Wheeler`s clear and engaging voice is a huge plus, and sample scripts help clarify his points. « Negotiating is not a linear business. It`s full of twists and turns and requires managing relationships, data, intuition, and alternatives in a way that increases the likelihood of a good outcome. Wheeler knows this subject as well as anyone else and shows us how the best negotiators are like great scouts; constantly explore and challenge assumptions in order to find the value that lies beneath the surface. « Wheeler offers a dynamic approach. A new approach that offers new ways to improve negotiation skills. Chris Nicastro, Vice President and General Counsel, Bridgestone Americas – Henry McGee, Former President, HBO Home Entertainment – Bruce Patton, Co-Author of Getting to Yes and Difficult Conversations – William Ury, Author, Getting Past No and The Power of a Positive No. . .

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