Hostage at the Table, George Kohlrieser

Jossey-Bass - £18.99

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

The psychology of conflict

George Kohlrieser in a professor of leadership, a psychologist and a hostage negotiator (and occasional hostage). He uses his experiences to show how we should manage conflict at work and in everyday living.

Hostage at the Table is not solely about being held hostage by others – we can create our own hostage situation by the way we think. Conversely, we can also use the way we think to avoid being a hostage for others. Mr Kohlreiser has some very insightful ideas about how to lead, controlling our emotions and dealing with self-imposed limits. He also has many fascinating stories to tell about hostage situations and the mindset that allows one to deal with them.

My one reservation about this book comes down to the old saying, ‘If your only tool is a hammer, every problem begins to look like a nail.’ I sometimes felt the author might be stretching the hostage analogy a little too far. That said, his approach to the conflicts in the book is always interesting and convincing, his arguments compelling.

Consider also that hostage negotiators have an astonishing 90+% success rate. What George does for us is to relate his skills in this area to business. Read this book – it could be life changing; it will be unforgettable.