This book is probably the most thoroughly researched book I have read on negotiation. I have read other books where the author tells you to say or do this or that, but does not back it up with a reason. This author, G. Richard Shell, gives the reasons why you do the things he tells you to do. I am a person that likes to understand why something works, so this book answered many questions for me and gave me new ways of approaching negotiations that I had not considered yet.

Mr Shell goes into detail about how to get into a relationship with prospects. Because people like to buy from their friends. Most people will tell you they make logical decisions, but in reality they make emotional decisions and then try to back it up with logic. If you can identify and understand their emotional triggers you can steer your negotiations in the direction you need, which is to help them solve a problem or need that they have.

The "Bargaining Style Assessment Tool" in appendix A is very helpful. It can let you know what your personal bargaining preference is. Once you know your style you can work from your base of comfort and be more effective because you are primarily using the style that is most comfortable for your personality.

The section on "Ethics in Negotiation" is enlightening. While my personal belief is to be 100% honest and ethical with a prospect, he explains the different levels of ethics and how other groups of people use ethics. By understanding the different levels of ethics by personality type you can recognize and understand what the other side of the negotiation is feeling. Everybody believes they are ethical, and the author explains why some people may lie to a prospect and still believe they are being ethical. These are things you need to know when dealing with others, because no matter who you are, there is a good chance that many people you deal with think differently on this subject.

Overall I think this is a very complete book about negotiation and dealing with others.

'Bargaining for Advantage' is tightly packed with vivid examples to illustrate various negotiation strategies & tactics, in a high-impact way. Shell has also successfully managed to present findings of various research (psychology, sociology, economics etc.) in a fun & readable, yet not simplistic, manner. His logical & specific advice is also pragmatic for business executives.

Shell's new book is great. He offers a roadmap of ideas to help you negotiate, and it's fun reading. He breaks the book into two basic parts. THe first part talks about six foundations of effective negotiation, ranging from setting goals and expectations to finding points of leverage. The second part offers advice on the negotiation process (e.g., preparation, making concessions, etc.)

His book seems to suggest, however, that negotiating is a rational endeavor. Even the advice on building relationships seems mechanical rather than natural (e.g., giving gifts, favors, etc). This all may work, but I'd find some of the advice hard to do in some of my negotiations with tougher clients who I deal with time and again.

Overall, Shell's book is great, but my own personal style of negotiation is more in line with the new negotiation bestseller by Roger Fisher of Harvard -- "Beyond Reason: Using EMotions as YOu Negotiate." Beyond Reason offers 5 principles that I could easily remember to improve my negotiating effectiveness -- and without seeming mechanical or inauthentic.

This book is solid. Shell is obvioulsy not just another Ivy League intellectual pontificating from the safety of the "Ivory Tower". You can tell that he has spent significant time in the trenches in tough negotiations. My only gripe is that he didn't go into more detail with some of his examples, or show more of his research. But it is probably just as well since too much detail would have probably bogged it down. This is always a tough balancing act for authors. What Shell has done is write probably the best single book on negotiations for the popular market.

I found this to be a good book for those who shy from negotiation as they see it as always confrontational. Getting a better handle on the Kilmann styles and how to work with others in their preferred style while maintaining your own individuality was a key topic I found to be useful.