Start with No by Jim Camp
Fascinating and informative, he grabs you from the first by telling you that 'Win-win' does not work.
Of course, the whole book is about 'Win-win or No Deal' which is how it really should be called. The fact that if you are prepared for the possibility of 'No Deal,' you are open to not closing, and using that in your negotiations.
'Blank Slating' he says is a verb, which is more like having No expectations. This is hard to do, but is very worthwhile.
I enjoyed his style, it's a quick read. highly recommend for anyone who is involved with negotiations in any way (and aren't we all?).
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HMMMMM--I'll read it, I think, but with great trepidation. Courting the charge of "contempt prior to investigation," I'll venture to guess this advocates classic, Testosterone-Style Negotiation, which I detest. Having sat down at one too many meetings with a slew of glowering, hyped-up, ersatz-macho, "Start with No" negotiators, I can tell you that this style of negotiating generally leads to wasting enormous amounts of money (too many meetings, paying for too many billable hours, writing too many letters) when both parties actually want to settle. It's a good way for lawyers to score some cash, and it makes the client feel like he's had a big dose of steriods, but ultimately, "starting with no" can be a huge detriment to corporations trying to bang out a deal. Again, I'll read it and see if my opinion changes...
Actually No. :-)(sorry , couldn't resist)
Camp doesn't advocate the macho Yang style. He fully wants his negotiators to give the opponent/adversary/customer the right to say No. They are more able to listen and understand if they feel no pressure. He uses the example of Columbo (Peter Falk, remember?) to illustrate the comforting effect of NOT being high powered, intimidating, and perfectly dressed.
He advocates nurturing, reversing, connecting,3+ statements, and strip line (a fishing term)
His 'Start with No' style is really very Yin, but as a male he won't explicitly state that.
Maybe those "glowering, hyped-up, ersatz-macho, negotiators" across the table from you, (just like those that never read what Win-win really meant), 'heard of the book' and didn't read it, and totally misunderstood the technique.
Let me know what you think! :-)
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