Negotiate This!

September 1, 2003
Cohen is an accomplished, successful negotiator, a talent that appears largely attributable to his creative intelligence, his intense focus on attaining his client's goals and a negotiating style that is low-key, humorous and flexible. His primary message in this book is the negotiator's need to cultivate a certain detachment—hence the book's subtitle. It also offers street-smart advice on effective demeanor, a cooperative style and the bargaining process. About a third of the book is devoted to the "perceptual TIP"—in which Cohen explains how to manipulate the perceived levels of time, information and power to create an advantage in negotiations. All of this advice is buried in an entertaining mélange of stories ranging from biblical tales through real-life business negotiations to everyday activities (such as convincing one's kids to come home on time), all delivered in the same unassuming tone one presumes Cohen uses at the bargaining table. Of less interest is an odd chapter that combines the author's advice on terrorism and parenting and 40 pages of appendixes that reproduce documents and articles relating to the Iranian hostage crisis, Clinton's Camp David Summit in 2000 and 20-year-old warnings about the threat of terrorism. Unfortunately, the book's content is often only loosely related, as though gathered in chunks from a couple of decades of speeches or seminars. Within the chapters, new sections repeatedly interrupt mid-story. The result is a book that features the practical wisdom of experience and the ring of authority, but sometimes wanders beyond the limits of the reader's patience.

September 15, 2003
Why has it taken master negotiator Cohen more than two decades to produce a sequel to "You Can Negotiate Anything"? Perhaps the accumulation of additional clarifying experience, as his angle this time is detached involvement or conscious inattention. Or, because many of his original fan club have matured, he has geared this book to a new, younger audience of business people. No matter the motivation, Cohen as always gives good advice, picking examples as unrelated as Moses' negotiations with the Almighty to Jackie Gleason's landmark deal with then-CBS head William Paley. The lessons are many: Successful persuaders are optimistic, regular guys, and employ self-deprecating humor. Remember to differentiate yourself--and enjoy every day. Negotiation is a problem-solving process. Expect at least one gem every few pages, along with a lot of great stories. Just say yes to an avalanche of reader requests. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)