How to Negotiate Like a Child: Unleash the Little Monster Within to Get Everything You Want

by Bill Adler Jr.

Look into the eyes of a child and you will find yourself face-to-face with one of the world's greatest negotiators. Children are naturals at manipulating, cajoling, arguing, sweet-talking, and conning their parents into pretty much anything they want on a regular basis. So why don't we as adults borrow a page or two from their playbook?

Tongue in cheek yet eminently practical, How to Negotiate Like a Child explains how a high-powered lawyer can lose an argument with a four-year-old in seconds flat. With chapter titles like "I Have to Ask My Mommy" and "Take Your Ball and Go Home," the book lets adults in on masterful child negotiation techniques like:

throwing a tantrum
getting sympathy
pretending you don't understand what the other side is saying
playing one side against the other
acting irrationally

Showing how to easily implement these simple strategies in situations of all kinds -- from negotiating a million-dollar business deal to getting a seat on an airplane -- this amusing little book helps readers get whatever they want.

Genres: Business

161 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Bill Adler Jr. is an American writer living in Tokyo.

He's the author of Outwitting Squirrels (The Wall Street Journal: "A masterpiece"; Boing Boing: "One of the funniest books I've ever read"), Boys and Their Toys: Understanding Men by Understanding Their Relations With Gadgets, Tell Me a Fairy Tale: A Parent's Guide to Telling Mythical and Magical Stories, and No Time to Say Goodbye, a time travel novella, and other books.

Reviews

[Dee]

Mmm...I gave this book too much time. Appreciating the advice it offers, I was unable to see a benefit to reverting to modified childish behavior. An attention grabbing cover masks a book of little substance and even less worth to my negotiating abilities.

[Zennyna Aristiya]

After reading "How to Negotiate Like a Child," I found myself grappling with the notion of employing childlike techniques in negotiations. Initially, I was skeptical about utilizing such tactics, as they seemed unconventional and different from methods discussed in other books. Throughout the book, I noticed that some of the ideas presented lacked empirical support, which added to my hesitance.

Nevertheless, as I delved deeper into the text, I began to grasp the overarching message that the author aimed to convey. The book emphasizes the significance of authenticity and unabashedly expressing our needs and desires during negotiations. While the childlike strategies may not align with traditional negotiation methods, the essence of embracing vulnerability and honesty shines through.

Despite some reservations about the techniques proposed, I appreciated the author's perspective on the importance of genuine communication in negotiations.The book serves as a reminder to prioritize authenticity and clarity in our interactions, fostering a more transparent and meaningful negotiation process.

In conclusion, "How to Negotiate Like a Child" encourages readers to step outside their comfort zones and explore unconventional approaches to negotiation. While some concepts may lack robust research backing, the underlying message of embracing authenticity and open communication resonates strongly. It serves as a thought-provoking read for those seeking to infuse sincerity and candor into their negotiation strategies.

[Xenia Germeni]

Αχ! Πόσ αφέλεια μπορει να έχει ένα βιβλιο που αναφέρεται στη διαπραγμάτευση του εαυτου....Πολύ επιπεδη προσέγγιση που θα έκανε και ένας πρωτοετης ψυχολογιας. Βεβαια για τους φιλους των βιβλιων αυτο βοηθειας μια χαρα....

[Keith]

This was a fun little book with quick little chapters containing techniques that children use to get what they want.

- Children use these strategies without having been taught them.
- Adults abandon them because of what they have been taught.

It reminded me that there are lots of strategies out there.


Contents
...
Introduction
Throw A Tantrum
Try A Wild And Scary Threat
Just Cry
Pretend You Don't Hear Or Understand What The Other Side Is Saying
Pretend You Don't Understand To Get The Other Side To Offer Something They Didn't Plan On Conceding
Share Something Important With The Other Side
Call In Backup (Or "My Dad Can Bet Up Your Dad")
Don't Think About Negotiating - Just Do It
Be Nice
Be Disarmingly Honest
Be Yourself
Know Your Own Team
Play Your Best Game
Be Direct About Your Needs
Take You Ball And Go Home
Stick With Your Gang
Give Yourself A Time-Out
Let The Other Guy Think He's Won
Break The Rules
Change The Rules
Follow The Rules To The Letter
Be Naive
Go Out Of Your Way To Please The Other Side
Be Needy
Ask The Person Who's Most Likely To Say "Yes"
Play One Side Against The Other
Delay Matters (Or "I Have To Ask My Mommy")
Move Slowly And Procrastinate
Do A Bad Job
Make A Deal That You Can Exchange For A Better Deal Later
Win Through Sympathy
Act Forlorn
Change The Subject
Give Your Business "Lemonade Stand" Appeal
Solicit A Bribe
Keep Coming Back To The Same Question
Play The Repeat Game
Be Irrational
Worry The Other Side That You Might Be Sick
Make Weak Promises
Win Through Cuteness
Don't Fear Failure
Be Prepared - But Not Overprepared
You've Won - Now You Have To Win Your Friends Back
You've Lost - Now Don't Be A Sorehead
Optimism Rules
Back To The Beginning

[Heidi Willems]

Ik ben op p. 60 geraakt en dat is een hele prestatie. Ongelooflijk slechte vertaling vol taal- en spelfouten (Wat dacht je van "(...) heeft zich er op een geweldige manier over ontfermt" in het dankwoord op p. 7 waarmee de trend helaas werd gezet?) en zelfs omissies, fouten in zinsstructuur, getal,... Dat bovenop een oersaaie, oeverloos repetitieve inhoud... Nee, dat kon ik -die zeer zelden een boek aan de kant legt- echt niet aan.

[Khalid]

This books talks about some strategies that children are supposed to be doing, and trying to apply it to business. I didn't find this book to do what it was supposed to do, and the points raised where not really interesting enough. However, there were still some enjoyable parts of this book.

[Jennifer]

Could be fun, but wasn't at all.

[Jennifer]

A little too repetative, had some great examples. Section on Play your Best Game was good. Good Quick reading

[Bosco Raj]

This book is great for to learn negotiating with kids not effective in practical for business.