How to Negotiate Like a Pro: 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes - Softcover

Mary Greenwood has a BA in English from New School University and an MA in English from the University of Southern California. She earned a law degree from California Western School of Law and an LL.M. in labor law from George Washington School of Law. Greenwood lives in Miami Beach, Florida.

HOW TO NEGOTIATE LIKE A PRO (3RD EDITION)Mary Greenwood
iUniverse (2017)
ISBN 9781532031168

Reviewed by Susan Violante for Reader Views (12/17)

I was drawn to "How to Negotiate Like a Pro" by Mary Greenwood right away, as I have always thought negotiating as a given talent that I totally lack. The book establishes from the beginning the author's experience in professional negotiations as an attorney, human resources director, mediator, etc., but I found it interesting that she actually included in her repertoire her experience in negotiation as a Mother. When I read that I realized, this was a book I definitely want to read to truly understand the skill of negotiating.

Greenwood first tackles the topic by placing the reader in front of the negotiation process, helping them before it begins, to determine the goals they should focus on when going into the first negotiating meeting. The information is first presented within the process, by providing rules and a script along with examples of strategies and other tips. It then continues through different types of negotiations and "how-to's."

Overall, I found the author did an awesome job presenting the reader the ballpark information needed to prepare, conduct and close a negotiation, regardless of whether at a professional or personal level. My favorite part of this book was the scripts, as it actually provided me with words as instruments to apply a negotiation strategy. In this sense I found this book very helpful because I could actually put the information into action right away on the less formal types of negotiations we all have with our family members, friends, and even co-workers. By doing, so I was surprised on how confident I felt going into a more formal level when negotiating with a customer. I definitely will keep this book as a great guide for myself!

"How to Negotiate Like a Pro" by Mary Greenwood is an awesome, short, to-the-point guide which provides basic and useful information for the negotiator in all of us! I recommend it to everyone who thinks they lack the skill like I did!

Writer's Block, St. Augustine Record, Sunday February 11, 2018,  How-to Book Offers Practical Advice for Resolving Anything, Anytime Anywhere
Book Review of How to Negotiate Like a Pro, How to Resolve Anything, Anytime, Anywhere by Mary Greenwoodby Robert Gold, Author of Dead to Rights and Cut of the CrossWhat a useful publication! Although initially written for business  negotiations, How to Negotiate Like a Pro, How to Resolve Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, now in its third edition, includes negotiations with spouses (both former and present), siblings banks, restaurants, hotels, credit card companies, eBay buyers and sellers and even difficult people. You know those all too many bullies, liars and narcissists we seem inevitably to encounter these days wherever we go? Mary Greenwood has a special chapter (No. 7) for those people. That chapter was added to the third edition because she noticed the increased amount of "anger and resentment" in our society since the last edition was published five years ago. How to Negotiate Like a Pro has a total of 15 chapters and 41 rules to follow for success as a negotiator.  The third chapter, Negotiation Strategies, and chapter 11, How to Negotiate and Get Good Customer Service, are among my favorites. Then there is chapter 4, Extreme Tactics, which includes such rules as "walk away," "create a diversion" and tell them to "take it or leave it." Those rules are extreme, but most of us, at one time or other, have wanted to follow those same directions in disputes. Rule No. 26 is one we should all study and, if possible, memorize for future use in negotiations or games, such as chess, Monopoly, and poker. It is entitled "Watch the other side's body language" and offers the following good advice, 1. Avoiding eye contact may be a sign of lying.2. Temper tantrums may be effective as a distraction.3. Placing a hand on one's face may be a sign of frustration.4. Crossing one's arms or legs may incite resistance to your proposal 5. Clenching one's jaw may indicate anxiety or stress.6. Standing/sitting straight with good posture may suggest confidence.7. A raised eyebrow may show surprise. 
The conclusion of How to Negotiate Like a Pro provides an excellent summary of the 41 rules, which when put all together appear to be essential to any negotiation we might experience in our lives. Greenwood herself still reads them over before her professional work as an arbitrator and mediator. How to Negotiate Like a Pro is a useful how-to book that offers much more than negotiation skills to the reader.Q and A With Author Mary Greenwood1. What inspired you to write this book?I wrote the first edition of How to Negotiate Like a Pro as a result of my experience negotiating union contracts. I have more than 25 years experience as a lawyer, negotiator, editor, arbitrator, law school professor and human resources director. I had an aha! moment when I realized that the rules of negotiating union contracts are the same as negotiating everything else in life. I wrote the third edition to add a chapter on negotiating with difficult people including pathological liars, narcissists, and bullies. I have noticed that  many negotiators are unprepared, unreasonable and unpredictable. My theory is that you can negotiate anything with anyone, but with some people, it may take a lot longer. Of course, both sides have to be willing. 2. What do you hope readers get out of the book?I hope readers will have the confidence to try to get the best deal, whether asking their boss for a salary increase or deciding where to go to dinner with their spouse. I have scripts after each rule that are a guide to practice what you are going to say before starting any topic in the negotiation. Mary Greenwood MaryGreenwood.org, Author of How to Negotiate Like a Pro, Winner of 9 book awards; How to Interview Like a Pro, Winner of 12 book awards; and How to Mediate Like a Pro, Winner of 12 book awards.