Bring Yourself - by Mori Taheripour (Paperback)

About the Book

"A look at how relationships can drive successful negotiation, from an award-winning faculty member at the Wharton School of Business"--Back cover.

Book Synopsis

A look at how relationships can drive successful negotiation, from an award-winning faculty member at the Wharton School of Business.

Contrary to conventional wisdom about what makes a good negotiator - namely, being aggressive and unemotional - in Bring Yourself, Taheripour offers a radically different perspective. In her own life, and in her nearly 20 years of experience teaching negotiation, she's found that the best negotiators are empathetic, curious, and present. The essence of bargaining isn't the transaction, but the conversation and human connection. It is when we bring our whole, authentic selves to the table that we can advocate for ourselves fearlessly and find creative solutions that benefit everyone.

Taheripour has seen the power of this mindset shift firsthand. In her consulting, her classes at Wharton, and in her work teaching negotiation for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, her students and clients experience personal breakthroughs as they face the fears and false narratives that held them back. Bring Yourself explains how our pressure points, personal experience, and even our cultural expectations can become roadblocks to finding common ground, and it offers essential strategies to move beyond them and open our minds. Taheripour argues that regardless of our own perceived ability to negotiate, we must have the courage to engage because bargaining plays a crucial role in every aspect of our lives. We negotiate boundaries with our parents and partners, bedtimes with our kids, and even with ourselves every time we make a pros and cons list to weigh a major decision. Negotiation is how we problem solve and how we find our voice.

With eye-opening and empowering stories throughout, Bring Yourself helps readers gain the confidence they need to achieve their goals in work and in life. Timely and provocative, this paradigm-shifting book can transform our world and the way we work together.

Review Quotes

"This book helps you understand what may be holding you and others back from arriving at your desired outcome. It provides a way for all of us to use our special skills and experiences to create solutions where everyone wins." -Debra Lee, former Chairwoman and CEO of BET Networks

"A well-presented and practical read for anyone looking to develop or finesse their approach to artful and successful negotiation." -John F.W. Rogers, Chairman of the Goldman Sachs Foundation

"A persuasive and fresh perspective on negotiations. Mori Taheripour is obviously a gifted teacher, one who shares with readers not only the wisdom she offers her students, but what her students offer her in turn. With an emphasis on curiosity and listening, this book is a rich collage of stories that remind us that being open and mindful are at the core of any successful negotiation." -Paul Tagliabue, former Commissioner of the NFL

"In an era and industry that chronically lionizes aggression and intimidation, Taheripour reminds us that claiming our power doesn't require that we take someone else's away. She isn't injecting humanity into the business world simply because it's ethical, but also because it works, making for more fruitful negotiations all around This book could not have come too soon, and I have no doubt that everyone can benefit from it, especially those who think they have business all figured out." -Melody Moezzi, author of Haldol and Hyacinths and The Rumi Prescription

About the Author

Mori Taheripour is a faculty member in the Legal Studies and Business Ethics Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches Negotiations and Dispute Resolution at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. Repeatedly recognized for her outstanding abilities as a faculty member, Taheripour is a five-time recipient of awards for excellence in teaching. She also co-founded the Wharton Sports Business Initiative (WSBI), a partnership among top business leaders, faculty, and students that generates and disseminates knowledge about the sports industry through educational programs, high-level student consulting assignments, global forums, and research. Taheripour earned her MBA from the Wharton School and her BA in psychology and pre-medical studies from Barnard College/Columbia University.