Based on the theoretical approach to cooperative negotiating skills developed at the Harvard Project on Negotiation, this book presents a two-step process towards mastery of negotiating and influencing skills. Step one involves the development of skills by means of interactive exercises and step two the application of these negotiating skills which have been carefully constructed to help the reader develop and broaden his or her negotiation style and become more flexible and fluid in approach. Negotiating and Influencing Skills addresses how to negotiate with difficult people and in difficult situations, and covers essential skills such as self-control, empathy and assertion in the negotiating process.

The Power of Commitment

The power of commitment

This chapter explores the power of commitment in the negotiating process by examining a long-term contentious negotiation from start to finish. This negotiation involved building coalitions, increasing muscle level, and applying the power of using objective criteria and external standards. Techniques and strategies are discussed as the case study unfolds—a negotiation to improve display safety in stores after my daughter sustained a serious eye accident.

To help you develop an in-depth understanding of the negotiation process that occurred, much of the story is told through letters written by the concerned parties. To help you further develop your understanding of the “Getting to Yes” model, commentary is offered on why we did what we did.

The Case Study

On November 9, 1991, ...

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