The Book of Agreement

10 Essential Elements for Getting the Results You Want

• This book is revolutionary because it provides ten essential elements of effective agreements that are designed for results rather than for protection
• Making agreements is a fundamental life skill that is not currently being taught in school. The Book of Agreement teaches this skill
• Includes templates for individual types of agreements, such as those used by realtors, therapists, consultants, contractors, physicians, dentists, architects, engineers, and lawyers

For most people, negotiating an agreement feels adversarial. It is a process one tries to win; it is not a process that expresses a clear joint vision or a path to desired results. We have been conditioned to function in a "me versus them" context. Creating agreements for results, rather than negotiating agreements for protection, provides much greater benefits for all parties; practical tools for doing just this are available in Stewart Levine's The Book of Agreement: 10 Essential Elements for Getting the Results You Want.

The conflicts most people get into are avoidable. Conflict develops because of differing expectations about what working with others will produce, and differences arise because these expectations have not been made explicit to everyone. People fail to make their expectations explicit because they never learned how. The Book of Agreement provides a clear path, leading through the minefields of conflict to the goal of shared expectations.

The Book of Agreement shows that it is best to change the process of forming agreements from an adversarial, win/lose negotiation, to a joint visioning process. Such a process articulates an inclusive vision of outcomes and a road map to desired results that everyone can agree on. It is a fundamental shift from the traditional idea of agreements for protection to that of designing agreements for results. Instead of focusing on providing remedies for what goes wrong, this new approach produces agreements that express a joint vision. A vision that satisfies everyone.

"Living by the principles Stewart Levine presents in this book is like having a map in a minefield. Not only does he describe a way to avoid messy conflict and disagreements, he takes us by the hand and walks us through it. If only I'd had this book before I renovated the kitchen!"

"Stewart Levine delivers on his agreement with the reader to provide a powerful vision and practical tools that turn potential business and personal conflicts into collaborative partnerships."

Stewart Levine has spent thirty years as an activist, including time as a lawyer, mediator, consultant, national sales team leader, and international educator. He is the founder of ResolutionWorks, a consulting and training organization dedicated to providing skills and ways of thinking people will need to thrive in the next millennium. Levine uses his approach to form teams and joint ventures in a variety of situations. Companies he has worked for in the US and abroad include American Express, Chevron, ConAgra, Deloitte & Touche, EDS, General Motors, Oracle, Safeco, University of San Francisco, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, and the U.S. Army. His article called "Managing By Agreement: The New MBA" will be published in the McGraw-Hill 2002 Sourcebook for Innovative Management Practices. He is the author of Berrett-Koehler's Getting to Resolution: Turing Conflict into Collaboration.

The Book of Agreement: 10 Essential Elements for Getting the Results You Want
By Stewart Levine
ISBN: 1-57675-179-1
Paperback Original: $17.95
Number of Pages: 242, 6" x 9"
Publication Date: December 2002

Published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers
For author interview or serial rights contact:
Brenda D. Frink
415-743-6477
[email protected]