Author: Derek Arden
Publisher: Pearson
Reviewer: Elizabeth O S Chute, freelance PR and marketing consultant
From its eye-catching gold on black cover, this book promises punchy tips and tricks for business negotiators. And it doesn’t disappoint. Three packed sections cover the whys: the more you learn the more you earn, the hows: 11 steps of negotiation, and six hotspots: specific contexts for easy reference (how to negotiate a pay rise for example). It is a highly interactive format with top tips, pre and post questionnaires, quizzes and reflective questioning.
Derek Arden’s premise is that we do a lot more negotiating than we realise every day, and were very good negotiators as children. He convinced me that we need to redress this imbalance. Unsurprisingly, he also tackles the harder side to business: how to read and adjust behaviour in high stakes business negotiations, how to detect liars and how to defuse confrontational behaviour.
From the costs of not negotiating, to the best win (me) win (you) win (future relationship) outcomes, Arden talks fast and straight. He candidly shares insights from his remarkable career in guiding the reader to adopt tried and tested behaviour for persuasive negotiations at work and life generally.
Arden’s reflections and tips on relative and perceived value and negotiable variables are very relevant for critical analysis. I also found the section on preparation for negotiation to be very compelling.
Despite a delivery that, to my view erred on the side of repetition in reinforcing points, I picked up much that was new, curious and amusing. From TV Lieutenant Columbo’s tactics, to Khrushchev’s third shoe, to alpha and theta states that spawn our most creative moments, Win Win is an entertaining read.
Star Rating:



