There’s no shortage of negotiation books that advise you to “get to yes,” urge you to “never split the difference,” and entreat you to “ask for more.” But none of them take into account the very real implicit bias in the room when a non-white, non-male negotiator sits at the table. Simply put: a one-size-fits-all negotiation style doesn’t work in a complex, multifaceted, multicultural world. The only constant in every negotiation is you. So you’d better learn to leverage who you are to your advantage.
Negotiating While Black is the book lawyer and mediator Damali Peterman wishes had existed as she was faced with the kind of situations that other negotiation scripts just don’t consider, like navigating workplaces where she was the only Black woman or advocating for her young son in his all-white classroom. Drawing on decades of training and experience as a negotiator in high-stakes situations, Peterman has developed successful strategies that will help you become the best communicator that you can be—like the Foundational Five skills all negotiators need, and the Negotiation Superpowers that will lift you to the next level. She also takes readers out of the boardroom and into real life, showing the application of negotiation and how everything is potentially up for discussion—from the trade-in value of your car to the permission for your kid to use the employee bathroom in the back of the store.
At every step, Peterman acknowledges that the unique way you show up in the world will impact your negotiations in all sorts of surprising ways…and that this can in fact be a good thing. Because when you show up prepared and proud of who you are, you’ll reap the rewards.
“We are ALL negotiators, whether we realize it or not. Whether we’re buying a car, applying for a loan, asking for a raise, or advocating for a loved one, we’re negotiating all day, every day. This groundbreaking, powerful book teaches us how to actually ask for what we want—and sidestep any built-in bias we might encounter along the way. In Negotiating While Black, Damali Peterman shows that the only constant in every negotiation is you…and that’s more than enough.”
“Negotiating While Black offers a refreshing approach to bargaining of every sort. Peterman addresses the unique challenges of navigating around inherent bias and intersectional issues, while maintaining a sense of humor and providing real-life relatable examples. It's an easy read, with useful tools that can be implemented in a variety of circumstances. This is the new GOLD STANDARD for ALL negotiations! Black Girl Magic personified!”
“Damali Peterman’s Negotiating While Black offers a dynamic, breakthrough contribution in the field of negotiation and conflict resolution. What others have missed in terms of the impacts of implicit (and explicit) bias in negotiations, Damali has addressed head-on through her professional and life experiences. This book speaks to all people, especially to people of color, women, and even to those who might take certain privilege or bias for granted in their unconscious approaches to resolving conflict... It is also a must read for all negotiators and will be a tool for historically disenfranchised negotiators whether in negotiations at a car dealership, with an employer, or in resolving life’s daily conflicts.”
"In Negotiating While Black, Damali has done what no other author in this field has done - empowering each person to authentically tap into who they are to get what they want. She makes negotiating plain, simple and relatable in a way that is meaningful and inclusive. After reading this book, negotiating will no longer be what they do well but what YOU do well!"
“Negotiating While Black offers essential advice to anyone who has felt underestimated in a negotiation.”
