Improvisational Negotiation: A Mediator's Stories of Conflict about Love, Money, Anger -- And the Strategies That Resolved Them

by Jeffrey Krivis and Jim Melamed

Book Overview

Improvisational Negotiation presents an original approach for mediators, negotiators, and other dispute resolution professionals. Drawing on his own experience plus those of his colleagues, Jeffrey Krivis offers the reader dramatic, well-crafted, and highly instructive stories about people in conflict - families, organizations, corporations - and shows how mediated negotiations help them to reach a successful resolution. Unlike most books on the topic,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787980382
• ISBN13: 9780787980382
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A very entertaining and resourceful read

Mr. Krivis has succeeded in creating a very entertaining and resourceful book that anyone in the conflict resolution arena would find a must read, including attorneys, mediators, claims adjusters, negotiators, human resource personnel, private parties in conflict, and the list could go on and on. I enjoyed the book because it was written with such detail and specificity in a John Grisham type style, yet at the same time it was also very educational and applicable. The material was so good and entertaining that I found myself at the end of each chapter saying, "Okay, one more chapter then I'll go to bed." Then a half hour later, "Okay, really just one more chapter." Mr. Krivis has shared in this book many valuable tools that I have already applied in my private practice as an attorney and mediator. I can testify that they have tremendously benefitted my clients and my practice. For this reason, I find myself referring to the book weekly and frequently recommending it to my colleagues. Thanks for the great read Mr. Krivis and subsequent enhancement to my practice. This book is a must read!

very insightful

Mr krivis provides an insight into the negotiating process that opens the door for many new techniques in mediating dificult cases. as a lawyer the book is a helpful tool in improving your negotiating skills by allowing us to get an idea as to what a mediator is thinking during the difficult process.

Improvisational Negotiation

I have been a parenting consultant for twenty-five years, working with single parents, married couples and divorced couples. This book was inspiring to me. There were many instances where I never would have thought to ask the questions or use the strategies that the Mediator used but they were so on-target and helpful that I will definitely incorporate them into my practice now! The book is easy to read and the summaries at the end of the anecdotes ("What Strategies Can We Learn?") are a bonus. I ordered an extra copy of this book to lend to my clients.

Improv Comes Alive in Mediation

Jazz enthusiast and mediator extraordinaire, Author Jeff Krivis, brings to life, the realities of living in the moments of mediation. His stories are filled with the subtleties of human communications, human frailties and the power of man's ability to resolve impossible conflict. From the simple to the complex, the serious to the sublime, Jeff has captured many poignant mediation turning points and dissected them for the reader's education and skill building. Whether you are a highly experienced mediation professional, or just getting seated in the neutral's chair, Improvisational Negotiation is a humble and worthwhile read.

Improvisational Negotiation

I enjoyed reading this book. In addition to the Hip-Pocket Guide to Strategy, which is excellent, this author is a masterful storyteller. His tales are not simple, though. They record decisions people have made in difficult circumstances; Some involve relationship and communication breakdowns while others are mostly about money, still others involve negotiators whose decision making depends on finding creative solutions or on using information strategically. As the author recounts these cases from his own experiences and those of colleagues, he shows us how mediators lead negotiators toward resolution. Each of the thirty examples is followed by a discussion of the techniques and approach used by the mediator. Some criticisms are offered, with the benefit of hindsight of course. The presentation of each case, the analysis of the techniques used and the author's reflections on the experience enables the reader to see each of these mediations from the perspective of a master mediator. A book that does all this deserves to be highly recommended.