2005

June 7, 2005

Bullies, Tyrants & Impossible People:
How To Beat Them Without Joining Them
A Foolproof 4-Point Plan for Your Life, Home and Work

by Ronald M. Shapiro and Mark A. Jankowski, with James Dale
Crown Business, June 2005

In Bullies, Tyrants & Impossible People: How to Beat Them Without Joining Them, Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler founder Ron Shapiro and his co-author Mark Jankowski offer a simple yet extremely effective system for dealing with anyone who makes life's journey difficult. Shapiro and Jankowski have successfully dealt with every type of difficult person in their varied careers, from arguing civil rights cases, tackling consumer fraud, representing bull-headed corporate tycoons, settling domestic stand-offs, and butting heads with iron-willed sports executives like George Steinbrenner and Edward Bennett Williams. They have turned their years of experience negotiating tough deals and coping with difficult people into a foolproof 4-point plan for dealing with all the bullies in our lives — from the photo shop clerk, to your in-laws, to the boss from hell.

What makes someone a bully, tyrant or impossible person? Those people whose behavior is reactive, manipulative, uncooperative, or any diabolical combination of these and other intimidating characteristics. And they’re everywhere, from the office to restaurants to airplanes, to next door, to your own kitchen table; but if you know how to deal with them, you can consistently get the results you want — whether it be in a deal, negotiation, transaction, contract, sale, social encounter, conversation or a date.

In Bullies, Tyrants & Impossible People, Shapiro and Jankowski arm you with the tools and exercises necessary to help you assess your own strengths and weaknesses and ultimately teach you how to get positive results no matter how challenging the person is on the other side of the table. Their strategy is simple and effective, centering on the acronym N.I.C.E.

  • N -- Neutralize your emotions
  • I -- Identify Type: Situationally, Strategically, or Simply difficult
  • C - Control the Encounter
  • E -- Explore Options

Bullies, Tyrants & Impossible People is filled with real-world anecdotes and fascinating accounts of N.I.C.E in action. The authors explain the importance of ending a conflict without letting it escalate. They teach us how not to be frightened, intimidated, or pushed around, and still get our way without resorting to the tactics we face. They show us that nice guys do finish first.


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Endorsements
  • "Ron Shapiro has always been a calm voice of reason...Here, he and Mark Jankowski share their techniques for creating workable solutions when dealing with even the most difficult of people." — Bob Costas
  • "Ron Shapiro and Mark Jankowski have cracked the case of one of our most frustrating yet inescapable daily challenges." — Bill Belichick, Head Coach, 3-Time Superbowl Champion New England Patriots
  • "The day I finished the book, I found myself in conflict with an apparent bully, and before reverting to habit, I recalled Ron's masterful techniques to defuse the situation. Colleagues who witnessed the circumstances asked in awe, 'How’d you do that?' 'Read this book!'"Steve Mosko, President, Sony Pictures Television

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