The Savvy Negotiator: Building Win-Win Relationships

Life is a series of negotiations—from who will make the morning coffee to the landing of a multi-million-dollar contract. Each successful negotiation is a victory, but how is success measured? And after a negotiation is completed, what are the implications for the future? In The Savvy Negotiator, William Morrison addresses these questions in the context of two simple, but profound, ideas: (1) We negotiate to set the ground rules for a future relationship; (2) We negotiate to satisfy our needs. In other words, a negotiation is not simply a transaction, but an opportunity to develop a dynamic relationship; whatever the outcome, there will be future effects. If a negotiation is not designed to provide some benefit to the negotiator, there is no reason to engage. Morrison develops these themes against the backdrop of a general evolution in negotiation theory and practice—from an antagonistic WIN/LOSE approach to the more collaborative WIN/WIN approach. Through dozens of engaging examples, from business and other areas (such as home and car buying), he demonstrates the eight key concepts that underlie any negotiation, and offers many practical strategies for conducting successful and satisfying negotiations in virtually any situation. Along the way, he highlights such timely issues as the role of ethics in negotiation and the impact of the Internet on communication dynamics.