You Can Negotiate Anything audiobook cover - Anything you want, you got it

You Can Negotiate Anything

Anything you want, you got it

Herb Cohen

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Communication SkillsManagement & LeadershipMarketing & Sales

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You Can Negotiate Anything
The Nature of Negotiation+
Negotiation Styles+
The Three Crucial Elements+
Psychological Tactics+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the text, what should you do if the person you are negotiating with lacks the power to grant your request?
  • A. Accept their best offer and try again later.
  • B. Demand to speak to someone higher up in the hierarchy who has the authority to make concessions.
  • C. Use emotional tactics like crying to pressure them into breaking the rules.
  • D. Walk away immediately, as the organization is clearly inflexible.
Question 2 of 8
Which of the following is a characteristic tactic of a 'Soviet-style' negotiator?
  • A. Focusing on harmonizing the underlying needs of both parties.
  • B. Making large, generous concessions early in the negotiation process.
  • C. Taking ridiculous initial positions and making stingy, last-minute concessions.
  • D. Openly sharing information and constraints to build mutual trust.
Question 3 of 8
How can a seemingly deadlocked negotiation be transformed into a collaborative win-win outcome?
  • A. By compromising so that both parties give up something they want equally.
  • B. By looking beyond the stated demands to identify and harmonize each party's underlying needs.
  • C. By using the power of precedent to prove that your demands are more legitimate.
  • D. By bringing in a neutral third party to enforce a strict deadline.
Question 4 of 8
According to the book, what is the fundamental nature of power in a negotiation?
  • A. It is strictly determined by who has the most financial resources.
  • B. It is based entirely on perception—how much power you and your opponent think you have.
  • C. It is granted exclusively by written documents and formal authority.
  • D. It is an objective metric that can be calculated before the negotiation begins.
Question 5 of 8
Why might asking a sales clerk to demonstrate every model of a product and answer numerous technical questions help you get a discount?
  • A. It proves to the clerk that you are an industry expert who deserves professional courtesy.
  • B. It gets the clerk to invest a significant amount of time and effort, making a discount seem like a small cost to save the sale.
  • C. It confuses the clerk, making them forget the official pricing guidelines.
  • D. It invokes the power of legitimacy by showing you have thoroughly read the manuals.
Question 6 of 8
What is presented as a strategic benefit of 'playing dumb' during a negotiation?
  • A. It lowers the other party's expectations of your financial budget.
  • B. It makes the other party feel sorry for you, triggering emotional concessions.
  • C. It forces acknowledged experts to explain things multiple times, negating their advantage and revealing more facts.
  • D. It hides the fact that you are operating under a strict, impending deadline.
Question 7 of 8
How did the author's hosts in Japan use deadlines to their advantage during his two-week stay?
  • A. They set a strict deadline on the first day to pressure the author into a quick agreement.
  • B. They delayed serious discussions until the author's departure deadline approached, forcing him to negotiate from a weak position.
  • C. They ignored the author's deadline completely, proving that time constraints are an illusion.
  • D. They extended the deadline by a week, causing the author to spend more money on accommodations.
Question 8 of 8
What is recommended as the best way to stay personal 'in a good way' without getting overly emotionally involved?
  • A. Behave obnoxiously in private so you don't lose face in public.
  • B. Demand that the other party shares their personal life story before talking business.
  • C. Maintain a relaxed demeanor by imagining you are negotiating on someone else's behalf.
  • D. Openly cry or play the victim as soon as you meet the other party.

You Can Negotiate Anything — Full Chapter Overview

You Can Negotiate Anything Summary & Overview

You Can Negotiate Anything (1980) shows that negotiations occur in every walk of life and that it is vital to have the skills and understanding to deal with those situations. The book outlines the key factors affecting negotiation success, as well as ways of negotiating for win-win solutions.

Who Should Listen to You Can Negotiate Anything?

  • Anyone who has ever negotiated with their spouse, boss or the telephone company, and wants to get better at it
  • Anyone who wants to protect themselves against abuse from aggressive negotiators
  • Anyone who wants to negotiate for mutual satisfaction

About the Author: Herb Cohen

Herb Cohen has been a negotiator for over four decades, covering a wide range of situations from corporate mergers to international disarmament contracts and hostage negotiations. He has taught negotiation skills at many prestigious institutions, including the FBI, CIA and Harvard University. His analyses and insights have made him a subject of articles in diverse publications such as The New Yorker, The Economist, TIME magazine and Rolling Stone. 

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