Hostage at the Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance

Conflict is a part of our everyday human behavior that stems from a basic fight-or-flight instinct. Too often, however, we believe that conflict is something that must be avoided at all costs; this tendency to suppress conflict can spark a cascade of negative emotions that eventually derail managers, leaders, and organizations.

George Kohlrieser--an international leadership professor, consultant, and veteran hostage negotiator--explains that it is only by openly facing conflict that we can truly progress through the most difficult business challenges. In this provocative book, he reveals how the proven techniques and psychological insights used in hostage negotiation can be applied successfully to any personal or business relationship. Step by step, he outlines the seven key factors that anyone can use to remove the blocks that stand in the way of resolving tough problems, and he shows how business leaders in particular can develop and access the skills they need to create trust and a positive mind-set in their companies.

Filled with dramatic and compelling stories of true-to-life hostage situations, Hostage at the Table is a thoroughly researched book that shows how to

• Put the "Fish on the Table" to resolve conflict
• Learn to bond, even with your "enemy"
• Never think like a hostage
• Tap into the power of dialogue and negotiation
• Access the law of reciprocity to build cooperation
• Be a secure base to establish trust
• Understand that the person is never the problem
• Master the mind's eye and visualize success

Every day somewhere in the world, hostage negotiators confront the most violent disputes imaginable and report a success rate far exceeding 90 percent. Who are the "hostages at the table" in your organization? Although the answers may sometimes surprise, readers will never forget Kohlrieser's lessons for setting them free.