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Gerard Nierenberg

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Gerard Irwin Nierenberg
Born(1923-07-27)July 27, 1923
Queens, New York, US
DiedSeptember 19, 2012(2012-09-19) (aged 89)
Manhattan, New York, US
Occupation(s)Author, lawyer
Known forThe Art of Negotiating

Gerard Irwin Nierenberg (27 July 1923 – 19 September 2012) was an American lawyer, author, and expert in negotiation and communication strategy.[1] In 1966 he founded The Negotiation Institute where he began a legacy of government, corporate, and non-profit organizational reform based on his ideas of how negotiation impacts the lives of everyone, and he published 22 books on negotiation.[2] The three core tenets of Nierenberg's philosophy are (1) to be patient; (2) to strive to meet the needs of the opposition party in order to build sustainable relationships from which all parties feel that they have 'won'; and (3) to limit frustrations in all negotiations by embracing the fact that logic does not always lead to negotiated success.[3] Nierenberg left a wife, Juliet, with whom he had three sons: Roy, Roger, and George.[1]

Early life and law career

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Nierenberg was born on July 24, 1923, and lived to be 89 years old.[1] He graduated from high school at age 15, and was enrolled in Brooklyn Law School three years later at age 18.[4][5] In 1942, Nierenberg delayed his law school graduation for two years while he served in the US Army Air Corps.[4] Nierenberg graduated Brooklyn Law School and became a member of the New York State Bar in 1946.[6] He began his career practicing law in various fields and eventually started his own real estate and corporate law practice, Nierenberg, Zief & Weinstein.[7] Nierenberg was also a long-time board member of the Institute of General Semantics.[8]

Career in negotiation

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Nierenberg first became interested in pursuing negotiation while practicing law as the result of many negative experiences at the negotiating table. He recognized that parties trying to win negotiations led to unsustainable relationships in business and personal relationships so he created a general framework from which individuals and groups can build long-lasting partnerships.[9] Nierenberg wrote his first book exploring negotiation strategies and tactics, The Art of Negotiating, in 1968.[1] The book's premise follows his belief that negotiation is a skill, not an inherited talent, so everyone may benefit from advancing their own negotiation skill level. His first book became a handbook to many professionals and his subsequent books were aimed to focus on specific topics within the areas of negotiation and communication. Through his research, Nierenberg developed a negotiation ideology based on the principle that "in a successful negotiation, everybody wins."[9]

Nierenberg's expertise led him into roles as a consultant and trainer working with Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, and government agencies across the globe.[10] In 1966, Nierenberg founded The Negotiation Institute, which leads seminars for organizations seeking to bolster human resources by improving negotiation and communication skills. Since then, Nierenberg's 22 books on negotiation and communication have been translated into over 30 languages.[11] Nierenberg held the title of Chairman Emeritus of The Negotiation Institute and President of Human Rights Advocates International, an NGO member of the United Nations, until his death.

Forbes named Nierenberg "the father of negotiation training" for his exploration of negotiation strategies and tactics as well as his decades of work disseminating the philosophy that "in a successful negotiation, everybody wins".[12][9]

Books

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Nierenberg wrote 22 books on negotiation.[2] Some of his most popular books include:

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Yardley, William (2012-09-25). "Gerard I. Nierenberg, Negotiation Expert, Dies at 89". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  2. ^ a b "Nation's Business [April 1983]". Hagley Digital Archives. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  3. ^ "The Art of Negotiating". www.connexions.org. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  4. ^ a b "The Telegraph - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  5. ^ "Boca Raton News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  6. ^ "Gerard Nierenberg," Justia Lawyers, accessed 10 September 2013, http://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/gerard-nierenberg-1097360 Archived 2015-06-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ Nemy, Enid. "Intuition? It's Not a Woman's Monopoly," The New York Times, 5 July 1971, 15. Accessed 9 September 2013, https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1971/07/05/79402542.pdf.
  8. ^ "IGS Mourns the Passing of Former Board Member Gerard I Nierenberg," The Institute of General Semantics, accessed 10 September 2013, http://www.generalsemantics.org/2012/09/25/igs-mourns-the-passing-of-former-board-member-gerard-i-nierenberg/.
  9. ^ a b c "Waycross Journal-Herald - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  10. ^ Institute, The Negotiation. "Gerard Nierenberg, Negotiation Institute Founder hailed by Forbes as the "Father of Contemporary Negotiating," Dies at 89". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  11. ^ "The Negotiation Institute Company History," The Negotiation Institute, Accessed 10 September 2013, http://www.negotiation.com/training/about-us/company-history Archived 2013-10-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ "How to Read a Person Like a Book [Mass Market Paperback]," Amazon.com, accessed 10 September 2013, https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Person-Like-Book/dp/product-description/0671735578.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Books by Gerard I. Nierenberg (Author of How to Read a Person Like a Book)".
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