About the book

NEGOTIATING WHILE BLACK is a practical, supportive resource for anyone who has ever been underestimated, overlooked, or misunderstood at the negotiating table. Author Damali Peterman breaks through the standard “one-size-fits-all” negotiation playbook, and, supported by her nearly two decades as a top mediator and lawyer in high-stakes deals, presents a clear, straightforward guide for developing the skills needed to negotiate exactly—and authentically—as you are.

Whether interviewing for a job, advocating for educational opportunities, or managing a complicated social interaction, real life is a negotiation. So, what do you do when no one looks like you at the bargaining table, when thoughtless comments sink deep, and when you send your kids out into a world that requires finesse to navigate?

Damali Peterman knows firsthand that the “just say what I say,” advice found on most business bookshelves doesn’t account for real life. When she first started out in her law career, the traditional, popular negotiating scripts didn’t work for her. The words didn’t always land when she, a Black woman, said them. She realized she needed a new way to negotiate, one that took her into account—and the implicit biases of those around her.

Be who you are to get what you want.

In this book, Peterman transforms the negotiation playbook, showing readers how to customize the “rules” for their own unique personalities and situations and instructs them in developing real-life toolkits for walking away with the best deal possible. She believes fully that to be successful, you don’t have to pretend to be someone you are not, and, in fact, winning in a negotiation depends on being authentic to yourself.

Throughout, she tells stories from her own life and those of her clients to illustrate how to solve real-world situations both inside and outside the boardroom. From her disastrous first car buying experience to aiding dealmakers at the corporate table, Peterman takes readers step-by-step to develop the tools they’ll need to succeed. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find her Negotiation IRL Toolkit that pulls out key takeaways for easy reference and makes it simple to prepare for each new negotiation.

With clarity of vision and a straight-forward, engaging voice, Damali Peterman presents a new, transformational guide to conflict resolution in the 21st century, revealing that what makes you different can make you powerful in a negotiation—if you have the right tools at your side.

About the author

Damali Peterman is a highly regarded and sought-after lawyer, mediator, negotiator, educator, and speaker with nearly 20 years of experience in the alternative dispute resolution field. She is the founder and CEO of two successful, award-winning companies—Breakthrough ADR, and Damali Law. Peterman currently lives outside of New York City with her husband, two young sons, and dog.