This review is an excerpt of Michael Pellechia's monthly BookPage business and finance book round-up.
Lifescripts
What to Say to Get What You Want
in 101 of Life's Toughest Situations
By Stephen M. Pollan
and Mark Levine
Macmillan, $21.95
ISBN 0020360487
Review by Michael Pellecchia
OK, you don't think of yourself as a salesman or a negotiator. When you want to make something happen, you count on your ability or personality. These are what you have to work with. If that won't get it, what will?
This book offers a more craftsmanlike approach to getting what you want.
Lifescripts is a collection of possible conversational paths for dozens of situations you may find yourself in. Do a quick inventory of your important conversations. How many of these have you planned out carefully in advance?
- Asking a boss for a salary increase, or a flextime arrangement, or a promotion.
- Turning down a subordinate's request for a raise, or moving him from full time to part time, or -- a common one in this era of downsizing -- adding responsibilities without adding pay.
- Dealing with a sexual harassment charge, ratting on a colleague, or confronting an office backstabber.
- Breaking bad news to a client, or on the other hand, correcting a client's bad behavior.
- Soliciting investment capital, putting pressure on a vendor, complaining about bad products or service.
- Suggesting a prenuptial agreement with your future spouse, asking your spouse to lose weight, offering financial help to parents, ending a friendship.
This book left me with one main thought: Holding up one end of a conversation is nice, but holding up both ends is nicer.
Michael Pellecchia writes about business and finance books for this publication. He can be reached at michael_pellecchia@bookpage.com.
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