Herb Cohen (negotiator)

Herb Cohen is an American negotiation expert.

He is a corporate and governmental consultant on negotiating strategy, commercial dealings and crisis management. He is the author of New York Times bestseller - You Can Negotiate Anything and has written several publications, as well as given speeches on topics related to deal making, sales, negotiation, branding, and motivation.

Herb Cohen was called "The World's Best Negotiator" (Playboy Magazine May 1980). In fact, the June 1981 issue of Time Magazine stated, "If you are ever in a crucial life-changing negotiation the person you want on your side of the table is Herb Cohen."

"To help get our 52 hostages back from Iran, the Carter Administration called upon Herb Cohen, an internationally respected negotiator. He not only told Jimmy Carter's people what they were doing wrong--while they were doing it--but predicted the release of the hostages almost to the exact hour." "On the other hand, Ronald Reagan responded as Cohen recommended, and the Iranian's reacted as Cohen predicted--on the exact deadline he had foreseen." - Washington Post Syndicated Columnist Jack Anderson, Thursday, February 12, 1981.

In 1995 Publisher's Weekly stated that YOU CAN NEGOTIATE ANYTHING was the 5th best selling audio tape of all time.

Cohen, represented by the Washington Speaker's Bureau, was selected as one of the five Most In Demand keynote speakers in North America in 2001.

Early life and education

Cohen was born in United States, to Jewish immigrant parents.^[2] His friend since childhood, broadcaster Larry King, tells a story that shows "Herbie's" negotiating skills even as a child.^[3][4] He studied B.A. in Political Science as an undergraduate course at New York University. He later earned his Juris Doctor degree in law.

Career

Cohen's first formal experience with negotiation was a class he taught for attorneys on the subject in 1963, while he was working as a claims adjuster.^[1][5]

Cohen taught negotiating strategy as a consultant to corporations, governmental entities, and other organizations. He joined the University of Michigan's Graduate School of Business as a member of the faculty. He is also a frequent guest lecturer at a number of institutions, including The Harvard Negotiating Project, Yale Law School, The Kellogg School, Wharton, University of Wisconsin, University of California-San Diego, McGill University, UBC and the Columbia University and University of Chicago Booth School of Business.^[1]

For more than 20 years Herb was a primary speaker for IBM'S 100% Club Meetings, Golden Circle Awards and their executive programs at Sands Point, Glen Cove, Southbury and Armonk.

He served in the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bad Kissingen, Germany from 1953-1955.

Herb Cohen wrote You Can Negotiate Anything in 1980; it became a bestseller on the New York Times list. He also authored Negotiate This! By Caring...But Not T-H-A-T Much in 2006.^[6]

He also offers his services as a keynote speaker.^[7][8][9]

For almost 3 decades Mr. Cohen conducted negotiating programs for top-level executives and the N.E.I. at the F.B.I.'s behavioral science unit, Quantico, VA., where he was instrumental In helping develop the acclaimed "hostage negotiating program".

Personal life

Herb Cohen lives in the United States, with his wife Ellen. They have three children.

Quotes

"A successful negotiation occurs when both sides discover an outcome they prefer over the status quo".

"Caring but not T-H-A-T much is the middle ground between clinging to it and winging it".

"All behavior no matter how outlandish appears appropriate to its initiator".

"People work for what they want but invariably want what they've worked for".

References

External links

• Official website