Start with NO
The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don't Want You to Know
By: Jim Camp
Published: July 9, 2002
Format: Hardcover:, 288 pages
ISBN-10: 0609608002
ISBN-13: 978-0609608005
Publisher: Crown Business
"Based on my nearly twenty years of experience as a negotiation coach, I believe win-win is hopelessly misguided as a basis for good negotiating, in business or your personal life or anywhere else", writes renowned negotiation coach and founder of the Camp Negotiation Institute (CNI), Jim Camp, in his eye opening and negotiation strategy filled book Start with NO: The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don't Want You to Know. The author describes why the conventional wisdom of the win-win outcome of a negotiation is a myth, and replaces it with a real world proven system of decision based negotiation.
Jim Camp understands why negotiators prefer to consider the win-win solution to negotiation to be the ideal result of a bargaining session. The author points out that the entire concept is mistaken and results in one side gaining the advantage over the other negotiator. Instead of being partners in a mutually beneficial agreement, one side ends up with a much worse outcome than they had planned for at the outset. For Jim Camp, win-win is an excuse by the stronger negotiator to gain concessions and compromises, while offering very little in return. The author provides an alternative negotiating system, through a change in behavior and activities, to gain control of the negotiations to avoid being left the loser at the end of the bargaining event.
Jim Camp (photo left) recognizes that the desire for a win-win outcome is natural for many people. The author provides evidence that for professional negotiators, that emotional attachment to fairness is seen as an opportunity to gain unreciprocated concessions. Jim Camp stresses that win-win is all too often win-lose, as it's based on emotion and not on decisions. Because it's based on what the author considers unnecessary compromises, win-win fails against tougher opponents and because it is not based on a repeatable and effective system. Jim Camp introduces an effective system, based on rational decisions and effective negotiating behavior.
The author demonstrates how to be better prepared for the reality of actual negotiations, with a mission and purpose, and with the ability to say no at any time. The various strategies include:
* Avoiding being needy
* Starting with No
* Developing a mission and purpose
* Focusing on your behavior and activities
* Knowing what to say
* Knowing when to say it
* Creating a quiet blank slate with no assumptions
* Knowing the other side's real problem
* Knowing the real budget
* Getting to the real decision maker
* Having your agenda and working it
* Presenting your best case
For me, the power of the book is how Jim Camp takes an effective and contrarian position on what he considers the failed strategy of win-win negotiation. The author demonstrates that while that concept may work well in theory, it is very flawed in the real world due to its reliance on emotion. Instead of entering into that likely doomed negotiation, based on the assumption of fairness, the author provides a decision and behavior based strategy that removes emotion from the event.
Jim Camp breaks his system down into a series of techniques that are both readily applicable to any business or personal negotiation. Those same tactics are also repeatable in every subsequent negotiation, as they are based on following the steps of the system. With this book in hand, a person need not ever make unnecessary compromises, and fall prey to a negotiator who prefers that they win and you lose in any bargaining agreement with them.
I highly recommend the definitive and real world proven book Start with NO: The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don't Want You to Know by Jim Camp, to anyone who is serious about being a successful and skilled negotiator. This book will prepare you to achieve better than expected outcomes in any negotiation, whether in your business or personal life.
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