Matt McAvoy Book Review

There’s a particularly old-school feel about this business self-help book.  With its roots very firmly in winning in a capitalist society, and not being the one left out of pocket, it harks back to the 80s and 90s, when the accumulation of personal wealth at the expense of your negotiating opponent was seen as a virtue.  Times have changed a little, I think, and with them a shift in attitude, so in that respect this book will probably appeal now to more of a niche reader.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with a financially competitive mentality, of course, and whilst not necessarily my own style I would never judge people who have it.  I think perhaps people in everyday life transactions are now just pretty much buying and selling at rock bottom anyway, just to scrape a living, so this book may be aimed at a less mainstream audience.  I would suppose it specifically to be of main benefit to three types of people: those in business, who negotiate as part of their job; those who lack assertiveness and tend to find themselves being walked over at times (for this group in particular, I highly recommend this book, and others like it); and those, maybe of a certain generation, who might place greater importance on the psychology of a financial win; it is probably fair to say that younger generations have been more conditioned into the status quo.  Whilst it would be highly beneficial for those people to read the book, I think some of the messaging might be unfashionable amongst today’s young readers.

The book itself is very high quality, of that there is no doubt, and Geoffrey has spared no expense bringing his vision to life.  His writing, the proof and the presentation are glossy and professional  Geoffrey is clearly a very clever man, a tremendously capable writer, and with his U.S. Forces background he is undoubtedly qualified to teach people how to assert themselves, and to show nerve in often tense and mentally tiring situations.  Whether you wish to use his teachings to achieve material gain or apply the transferable skills to attain a more confident persona generally, he delves to great depths to share his wisdom, his advice and his philosophy.  There is much to be learnt from his book – and, in fact, the higher the stakes the more applicable it might be to your situation.  A good project, hard worked and, you can see, a labour of love for this highly articulate and smart author.  Worth a look, but go into it with an open mind.