The Game Before the Play

<p>Do you really think you can win every negotiation?</p><p>If yes congratulations! You've just unlocked a new episode of <em>Mythbusters.</em></p><p>If you believe negotiation is about dropping the perfect one-liner and winning the whole conversation like in a Hollywood movie you're also wrong. Sorry. That's not how it works.</p><p>And if you think everything was already decided in some boardroom and your talk with the other side was just a formality - you might be closer but still not there.</p><p>Here's the truth: most negotiations are shaped long before anyone speaks. Outcomes are heavily influenced sometimes even decided by factors like preparation power positions goals perspective knowledge and the energy each side is willing to invest. These elements matter just as much as what happens during negotiation. Put them together and you'll see what most people miss: there's a whole game before the play. And that's what this book is about.</p><p>Once you learn how to spot prepare for and influence these dynamics you stop reacting and start running the show. You'll know how to stack the deck build confidence and shape outcomes: whether you're asking for a raise buying a car or dealing with that supplier who swears they've got you cornered.</p><p>You'll do it through <strong>The Playbook Cycle </strong>- a practical seven-step approach that shows you how to:</p><ul><li>Set unshakable goals that keep you focused</li><li>Gather the right information without drowning in noise</li><li>Decode hidden power dynamics and see what really drives people</li><li>Build strategies based on reality not wishful thinking</li><li>Stay adaptable when circumstances shift and know when not to negotiate at all</li></ul><p>This book is a mix of simple frameworks sharp stories and a dose of humor. The dry theoretical manual and the special phrases that win every negotiation? Those will be left for the second edition. Eventually.</p><p>And here's the kicker: winning negotiations doesn't always mean crushing the other side. Sometimes it's about reframing the game finding alignment or walking away stronger. It's about seeing the big picture instead of obsessing over a single moment.</p><p>Think of it like football: there are ball skills positioning and tactics but also seasons leagues and matchups that matter more or less. The smartest players know when to push when to stop chasing the ball and when to take the red card that saves the season.</p><p><strong>This book is your coach: not for the play you see on the field but for the game that decides it all before the whistle even blows. And it will train you to become a Negotiationship manager.</strong></p><p>And don't be afraid to take advice from a young indie author with no shiny credentials. If he's figured this out already then so should you.</p>