Difficult Conversations

This book is a big part of the negotiation classes with the Harvard Negotiation Project. Founders frequently find that their big issues have to do with their interpersonal relationships: whether it be their co-founders, investors, clients, employees, or their spouse/partner. The book walks you through the many stages one goes through when taking part in a difficult conversation - how a party might be inadvertently attacking the other's identity, how we often misunderstand intent, and how we can usually work a bit harder to understand the other person's perspective. This book is recommended for anyone -- particularly at places like startups, where so much of our work is tied to our identity.