In this article, I’ll discuss the 17 best books on negotiation that are very important for enhancing negotiation skills. I will also answer some of the very popular questions that are commonly asked by people in the FAQ section.
“Negotiation in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties more anxious to agree than to disagree.”
Dean Acheson, American statesman and lawyer
Today, there is saturation everywhere, therefore, it is very difficult to achieve the goals alone. People like you or your organization can’t achieve a significant amount of success without interacting with people. You will have to interact with people. You will have to negotiate with people.
There is a very famous line that if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together. Now, you will have known that negotiation is a very crucial part of success. But does everyone have this skill?
No, very few people have this skill. But it can be developed and improved. One of the best ways to develop this skill is to study books. But which book should you pick, it can be a big problem before you. If so, don’t worry, I am here to help you.
I will introduce you 17 best negotiation books of all time that are must-read books for any people who want to enhance their negotiation skills.
Are you ready?
Okay, let’s start.
Best Books on How to Negotiate
In this article, we broke down the top Negotiation books as follows:
- Best Real Estate Negotiation Books
- Best Negotiation Books for Lawyers
- Top Best–Selling Business Negotiating Books
- Best Negotiation Books of All Time
Best Real Estate Negotiation Books
The Book on Negotiating Real Estate
| Author | J Scott, Mark Ferguson, Carol Scott |
| Publication | 2019 (2nd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
“The Book on Negotiating Real Estate” is one of the best real estate negotiation books that intelligently teaches the strategies and tactics necessary to ensure you get the best deals in property. The best part about this book is that it has been written by three expert investors and also bestselling authors who have made a lot of money from real estate. Therefore, the authors have put their real-world experience in real estate through this book. If you want to learn the psychology and science of effective negotiation in the real estate field, read this book.
Bargaining for Advantage
| Author | G. Richard Shell |
| Publication | 2006 (2nd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
Bargaining for Advantage by G. Richard Shell is a very definitive book that provides insights on how to succeed when you negotiate. After researching many successful negotiators in modern history, the author created it. It has straightforward and memorable advice on how to negotiate with others. Moreover, there are plenty of tips, not just about how to negotiate but how to develop your own negotiation style.
One Step Ahead: Mastering the Art and Science of Negotiation
| Author | David Sally |
| Publication | 2019 |
| Rating | 4.1 out of 5 |
“One Step Ahead” is a very entertaining and informative book written by David Sally who is an innovative strategist and behavioral economist. Since he has very deep and extensive knowledge about negotiation especially in the real estate field, he has shared all his knowledge, experience, and opinion through this book. The book is all about the psychology, tactics, and strategy behind successful negotiations. To make it more practical, the author has done a good historical analysis of real estate that will definitely help you to understand real estate well.
Best Negotiation Books for Lawyers
Essential Lawyering Skills
| Author | Stefan H. Krieger, Richard K. Neumann Jr., Renée M. Hutchins |
| Publication | 2020 |
| Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
“Essential Lawyering Skills” is one of the best negotiation books for lawyers as well as for every law student. It is written by three very talented authors who draw upon many years of teaching and writing about lawyering skills. The book provides complete coverage of problem-solving, interviewing, counseling, negotiation, and fact analysis which is the best thing about it. All authors emphasize much on practice and the mechanics of negotiation and persuasion rather than only theory. This makes it a more practical and insightful book. If you are looking for an excellent negotiating book for lawyers, take this book.
Lawyer Negotiation
| Author | Jay Folberg |
| Publication | 2016 (3rd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
“Lawyer Negotiation: Theory, Practice, and Law” is designed to prepare law students to negotiate knowledgeably and successfully. The author has combined many theories, skills, negotiation strategies, ethics, and laws into this book by which an advanced look at legal negotiation is got to be seen. The book covers many different topics of negotiation like causes of conflict, heuristics, the role of emotions, and decision science, etc that will ultimately help you to improve your negotiation skills. Moreover, it has helpful advice for effectively representing clients and negotiating in mediation.
The Tools of Argument
| Author | Joel P. Trachtman |
| Publication | 2013 |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“The Tools of Argument” is another one of the best negotiation books for lawyers as well as for young people considering law as a career. The book discusses many aspects of legal negotiation in a very knowledgeable and insightful way. Through this book, you can learn what is psychology and science behind effective legal negotiation, how the best lawyers think, how they brilliantly argue, and how they surprisingly win, etc. There is much to learn here, both for the experienced practitioner and for the novice in the field.
Best Selling Business Negotiating Books
Never Split the Difference
| Author | Chris Voss |
| Publication | 2016 (1st Edition) |
| Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
The most popular work of Chris Voss is the best-selling book in “Business Negotiating” on Amazon. Moreover, it ranks in the #1 position in “Communication Skills” and “Negotiating” on Amazon’s best-selling books list, which shows its popularity. This is a great book with direct application to day-to-day interactions with other people – including your family. The language of it is easy to understand so you will engage with it easily.
Trump: The Art of the Deal
| Author | Donald J. Trump |
| Publication | 2015 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
Along with one of the best-selling business negotiating books, “Trump: The Art of the Deal” is also best for entrepreneurship and business guidance. It is a masterpiece for every business negotiator written by the forty-fifth president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. He shares all his experiences regarding his real estate, gaming, sports, and entertainment businesses and reveals the strategies that have made him a successful businessman. If you want to learn how to negotiate through a great successful businessman, take this book as it gives you a real insight into how he works and what are his motivations.
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High
| Author | Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler |
| Publication | 2011 (2nd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“Crucial Conversations” is this type of dialogue book that focuses on how to start an effective negotiation with others. So, if you are a novice, then you should go for it. This is very helpful not only in businesses but also in relationships. It improves our relationships with others. In addition, it is well written and well explained.
Getting to Yes
| Author | Roger Fisher, William L. Ury, Bruce Patton |
| Publication | 2011 (3rd Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“Getting to Yes” is a highly reliable and practical work on the fundamentals of negotiation that gives the opportunity to the negotiators to polish their negotiation skills effectively. Moreover, it is particularly useful for business deals and personal conflicts since it emphasizes mutual problem-solving. In conclusion, we can say that this book is a valuable resource for personal and professional negotiation.
Thank You for Arguing
| Author | Jay Heinrichs |
| Publication | 2020 |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“Thank You for Arguing” is a definitive guide to negotiating with more powerful tools like writing, speaking, and framing, etc. Through this book, the author also focuses on communication & social skills, effective speech, the art of persuasion, the art of selling and buying, etc. It also encompasses how to apply these ideas to everyday conversations with family and friends. Apart from this, it is well written and easy to understand. If you want to improve your rhetoric skill, this book can help you a lot.
Best Negotiation Books of All Time
The First Move: A Negotiator’s Companion
| Author | Alain Lempereur, Aurelien Colson |
| Publication | 2010 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
It is a clear, insightful book that is best for the current market. The book has covered the relationship with people, the problem with their solution, and the process and organizational stages of negotiation. In this book, the author highlighted time management and told that it is the most crucial part of negotiations. Moreover, you will get much detailed information on effective negotiation through this book.
The Art of Persuasion: Winning Without Intimidation
| Author | Bob Burg |
| Publication | 1998 |
| Rating | 4.7 |
The author, Bob Burg has created it very informative after researching the lives of the most successful people in modern history. This book is filled with so much useful advice not just on how to persuade others but on how to become a truly fabulous person through kindness, respect, and compassion for others. In sum, it is a good resource about persuasion in different situations.
Negotiation Genius
| Author | Deepak Malhotra, Max Bazerman |
| Publication | 2007 |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“Negotiation Genius” is one of the best-negotiating books which is an excellent intro to negotiation skills. This book lists many useful strategies and tactics that are applicable in many negotiation situations. It will help you to negotiate with others professionally and personally both. And also, it teaches you to be patient and that there’s a lot of research you can do.
Better, Not Perfect: A Realist’s Guide to Maximum Sustainable Goodness
| Author | Max H. Bazerman |
| Publication | 2020 (Illustrated Edition) |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
Better, Not Perfect by Max H. Bazerman provides deep research, a prescriptive roadmap for how to maximize our negotiation skills and minimize our flaws. It is an excellent combination of decision-making and ethics that helps us to think about how can we help others. There is no doubt that it is a very crucial book for negotiators. Even it appeals to those seeking practical suggestions for improving business and philanthropic behavior.
The Bartering Mindset
| Author | Brian Gunia |
| Publication | 2018 |
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
The Bartering Mindset by Brian Gunia is a very insightful full book that is a delightful unexpected perspective on negotiations. The author explained how negotiation is one of the most crucial parts of success. He added it becomes very difficult or impossible to achieve the goals without negotiation skills. In addition, it is written in a very exciting and lucid story that makes it very engaging for anyone.
Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate
| Author | Roger Fisher, Daniel Shapiro |
| Publication | 2005 |
| Rating | 4.4 out of 5 |
“Beyond Reason” by Roger Fisher is one of the best negotiation books which is so carefully constructed and written that you may find yourself praising its common sense and nodding easily in concurrence. The author expressed that emotions are powerful, always present, and hard to handle. They explained how we can use these emotions positively through this informative book. In sum, anyone who faces a difficult conversation, let alone a formal negotiation, can use this as a guidebook.
FAQ
What is the difference between bargaining and negotiation?
Bargaining is for pricing only. People bargain for how they can get things at low prices. Bargaining is basically informal and verbal. In bargaining, the people don't think about other person's profit or loss. On the other hand, Negotiation is not for only pricing, it is too used for legal situations. Negotiation is formal and it can be verbal, written, or documented. In negotiation, people's intention is how both parties can be satisfied rather than just one party.
What are the best negotiation styles?
There are 5 most important styles that are the soul of negotiation.
- Competing to competitors
- Collaborating with the same visioned people
- Compromising
- Avoiding negativity
- Accommodating
Who is the best negotiator in the world?
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and a well-known philanthropist is considered the best negotiator in the world by Harvard Law School. Harvard Law School's Professor Robert H. Mnookin wrote it in his book "Bargaining with the Devil When to Negotiate When to Fight".
What is the best outcome of negotiation?
There are mainly three types of outcomes after negotiation. The first is a win-win outcome, in which both parties get the desired results. The second is win-lose in which one side gains while the other party suffers a loss. The third one is a lose-lose in which both sides fail to achieve the desired result.
How do you master negotiation?
Negotiation is an art which has become the need of the hour. Therefore, it is very important to have negotiation skills for anyone. But the question arises how one can learn negotiation skills? There are many online platforms like Coursera, BYJU’S, etc. that are offering the best courses on negotiation. Moreover, there are many offline institutes that are delivering best content to students to teach negotiation.
Is negotiation a soft skill?
Yes; Negotiation is a soft skill. There are also many soft skills are included in it. For instance, the communication skill is the backbone of negotiation. In addition, interpersonal skills, problem-solving, decision making, and teamwork are some soft skills that are much required for negotiation.
Why do we need negotiation?
Effective negotiation can save the energy and time of individuals or any organization. It can also prevent terrible losses. Moreover, negotiation helps people to accomplish their goals quickly. When the two organizations negotiate, it is more likely that they will both achieve their milestones very soon. That's why negotiation is to be needed.
Final Words
These books are the best negotiation books of all time that will give you the perspective of the real market and explain how the market works. If you study these books with concentration, no one can stop you from becoming one of the best negotiators in the world. These books only demand your time, energy, and dedication.
Now, you have known these best books on negotiation skills. After studying these books, your way of looking at the world will be automatically changed. You will only see the opportunities that very few see.
If this article added any value to your life, share it with your friends so that they can also take advantage of it. Also, tell me in the comment section from which book you will start your journey.
Thank you.
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