Order Out of Chaos: Win Every Negotiation, Thrive in Adversity, and Become a World-Class Negotiator

Learn how to become a world-class communicator and, in doing so, become the best negotiator you can be.

As one of the world’s most experienced kidnap-for-ransom negotiators, Scott Walker has successfully resolved life-or-death crises, facing down gang leaders, pirates, cyberhackers, and extortionists. When he turned to help businesses with negotiation, he realized that the tools and skills he’d need were not so different from the ones he’d mastered in the high-stakes situations he successfully negotiated. Now he’s bringing those lessons to you.

In this book you will learn Walker’s essential negotiation principles and strategies, as well as his tools and techniques, all of which are supported by astonishing real-life case studies. You can begin to add these techniques to your repertoire immediately to become a world-class negotiator, capable of persuading anyone, no matter how tenacious and uncompromising they may be.

Built on decades of scientific and academic research along with Walker’s extensive experience, Order out of Chaos gives you simple, proven approaches. You’ll learn how to slow down high-pressure moments, practice proactive listening, develop your emotional intelligence, and manage conflict. Applied in low-pressure, everyday negotiations with one person or in complex, high-risk scenarios with multiple hostile adversaries, these principles will help you master the moment, communicate effectively, and achieve the outcomes you want.

Whether you’re an executive in a multinational organization, the owner of a small business, a local sports team coach, or the manager of a single household, the principles and techniques covered in this book will help you navigate the common pitfalls of negotiation and give you the confidence to succeed every time.

Scott Walker is one of the world’s most experienced kidnap-for-ransom negotiators. He has helped to resolve more than three hundred cases, along with other crises, such as piracy and cyber-extortion attacks. He spent sixteen years as a Scotland Yard detective engaged in covert, counterterrorist, and kidnapping operations. He left the police force in 2015 to support organizations, government departments, and private individuals in negotiating the release of hostages all over the world. He is sought after worldwide as a speaker, and he coaches executives and leaders at all levels on how to enhance their resilience, develop their emotional intelligence, and perfect their communication skills. He consults with companies to help them build a resilient culture and develop engaged, fulfilled, purpose-driven, and productive teams.