Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence

Combining personal storytelling, insight, and practical takeaways, the distinguished ambassador and lead negotiator on the Iran nuclear deal shows readers how to find their inner diplomat to negotiate at work and in life.

The art of diplomacy requires competence, patience, empathy and above all, authenticity. In Not for the Faint of Heart, Ambassador Wendy Sherman argues that we can learn this skill—so vital for interactions in your personal life, at work, or on the world stage—by building on qualities we can develop on our own. The same skills needed to negotiate a multilateral nuclear deal are applicable in your own life, whether you're buying a home, negotiating your salary, or making decisions with your partner.

In this book, Sherman shares stories of her time in the State Department negotiating the most sensitive issues of our time, along with personal stories that show how our private experiences affect our professional lives. She argues that we negotiate best when we are our authentic selves, not reliant on stratagems or manipulation but on all of the skills we've gained through our experiences.

Not for the Faint of Heart brings readers inside the world of international diplomacy and into the mind of one of our most effective diplomatic negotiators, revealing that success takes courage, the ability to forge common ground, and an understanding of the nature and use of power to help us reach our goals.