We'd like to highlight a great book on the art of negotiating: "Getting to Yes" by Roger Fisher and William Ulry.
Let's face it - all of us have room to improve in this area. And there are a million books on negotiating out there, but we're partial to this classic, short read. It gets to the point and does so eloquently. We feel this book can be particularly effective for women, given our ability to excel in the area of communication. Our point of view is this: Give us some extra tools and we'll be unstoppable!
In "Getting to Yes", Fisher and Ulry of the Harvard Negotiation Project describe techniques that are equally applicable to negotiations at work and at home. The basic assertion is that a successful negotiation doesn't start by listing opposing demands - someone always loses with positional arguments. Rather, the authors provide tools for 'mutual gains negotiation' - by understanding the other person's interests, both parties walk away 1) satisfied and 2) with an intact relationship. These techniques aren't important if you're negotiating the purchase of a car - there's no need to maintain a lasting relationship with the salesman when you can just hit a different dealership when it's time for a change. But in most instances, it behooves both parties to protect the long-term nature of the relationship. Give this short read a chance - we guarantee it will improve your interactions across the board, from your colleagues and clients to SO's and kids.
