Author of “For the Forces of Good”
(aka the “Little Black Dress” of negotiation)
SYNOPSIS:
For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation
S. Lucia Kanter St. Amour, 2022 Pactum Factum Press
Have you ever arm-wrestled for chocolates, gamed with the tit-for-tat robot, or booked a session with a negotiation stylist? No? Ever tried to get a toddler to eat their broccoli, been in a conversation where someone repeats themselves over and over, or tried to reason with a person who insists their opinion is indisputable fact?
Ever faced a bully?
Yes? This book is for you.
With plucky prose and arresting content, it offers handy Everyday Super Tips . . . and Girl Scout cookies. Accompanied by a runway fashion show of original art, you might call it the little black dress (or white pantsuit) of negotiation literature. It’s as visually splashy as it is enriching.
Negotiation happens everywhere every day and it can be anyone’s everyday superpower – even through small acts and language. Yet, negotiation is still viewed by the general public as a specialized skill mastered by experts, and one that you either have or you don’t (“Negotiation can’t be taught. Some people just have the skill and others don’t,” as proclaimed by a high school senior, heading to Brown University to study International Relations, at the author’s 2022 Easter dinner table).
Women, in particular, still shy away from negotiation scenarios – many are uncomfortable just asking for something, prioritizing so-called politeness over opportunity and success.
Well, guess what? Negotiation isn’t just for business and boardrooms. Negotiation is sexy. Negotiation is stylish. Negotiation is powerful and accessible to you. Every day.
This is not your father’s 20th century negotiation tome. This is real everyday negotiation prowess from a woman who lives it every day. For the Forces of Good is for the high school teacher, the college student, the parent, the professional dog walker, the nurse, the administrative assistant, the hair stylist. It handily vanquishes the myth that negotiation is some rarified skill for special settings carried out by elite executives or gifted individuals. Far from a dry, tedious text, it’s a tasty just-so recipe of expertise and Brene Brown-worthy vulnerability. Lucia shows us all how to layer the cake with equal parts skills building, storytelling, social and historical commentary, and thought experiment.
The frosting on this yummy how-to book is how unbashfully it also flexes some intellect, imbuing the reader with that same intellectual prowess. Lucia navigates us up and down, side to side, demonstrating how the pieces all connect – like the cunning video game super heroine unlocking each next level, making us smarter with every turn of every page, all the while sharing her humanity.
All of that packaged in a compact super-snack sized. Whether you’re the breezy social media surfer to the deep-dive philosophy student, this is for you. Why?
Because negotiation isn’t just for business. It’s everybody’s business.
As praised by the celebrated “Godfather of Persuasion,” Robert Cialdini, this book is INCLUSIVE.
The joy Marie Kondo sparked for home organizing Lucia Kanter St. Amour has kindled for everyday negotiation.
CONTENTS AND CHAPTER SUMMARIES
DOWNLOADABLE MEDIA KIT
ENDORSEMENTS
The word ‘Everyday’ in this book’s title points to a critical but under-recognized feature of highly effective negotiation, its inclusiveness. It isn’t limited to any one set of situations, topics, masters or, tellingly, to any one gender. With the research-based information and instruction engagingly offered within its pages, we can all up our game significantly.
Robert Cialdini, Author of INFLUENCE and PRE-SUASION
For the Forces of Good is a fantastic book for anyone who wants to supercharge their negotiation powers. It is highly readable, thoughtful, personal, and full of useful ideas and tips to improve to your everyday negotiation skills. Lucia’s energy, smarts, and passion for negotiation sparkled and inspired me throughout the entire book.
Grande Lum, Obama Administration Director, Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service; author of The Negotiation Fieldbook and Co-Author of America’s Peacemakers
Captivating, layered, accessible, content-packed, and written in a warm, personal voice. There’s nothing quite like it on the market in the way Lucia connects it all together. It’s fantastic!
Anita Christine Knowlton, Clinical Professor of Law & Founding Director of the Center for Negotiation & Dispute Resolution, University of California Hastings College of the Law
As a two decades labor negotiator – I’m loving this! Amazonians focus on super powers and the Super Tips provided are practical and useful in everyday life, which is often a series of negotiations. The usefulness of taking this out of the strict business setting or labor setting is wonderful. For women and other marginalized groups this is a great guidebook. Negotiation can be taught!
Alia Samad-Salameh, Principal, Global Labor Standards at Amazon
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