Book Club Structure

• The Book Club is virtual/held online.
• Current PMI-OC members may participate in the Book Club sessions for free.
• Non-members may participate in the Book Club sessions for a $10 fee for each session.
• Participants must acquire their own copy of the book.
• The Book Club meetings are held on every even month (except for a December break) on the third Thursday
  
  • Next Meeting Date: February 19th 2026

Book Club Meeting Structure

• Each meeting will have a facilitator to guide discussion.
• Each meeting should be expected to last one hour and 10-15 minutes.
• No more than 400 pages should be read per Book Club session.
• Books with more than 400 pages may be pruned down or divided into sections and those sections may be discussed over a period of 2 or more sessions.
• After each meeting, we request that participants provide takeaways/lessons that they learned from the book to us (book-club@pmi-oc.org) so we may collate all of the takeaways into a singular set of notes to describe the value of the book in the Books Read Journal.

How to Participate

• Participation requires registering for the book club session on the PMI-OC website.
• Participants must have read the book/book section under selection.

Books

• Selection Requirements
  • Should cost no more than $35.
  • Should fall under one or more PMI Talent Triangle categories.
• Selection Process
  • Books are selected by registrants filling out a survey where they vote on their top 3 choices for the next read.
  • The survey is sent out to registrants a week before the event registration cutoff date to allow time for those registered to vote on the next book.
  • Survey participants may also nominate additional books to add to the survey in the future.
  • The top choice for the next book is revealed at the upcoming Book Club meeting.

PDUs

• We will report 1 PDU for attending the meeting. The type of PDU reported will be based on the book content.
• Participants may also self-report PDUs to PMI based on time they spend reading (with 1 PDU per hour read)
  • Click here for a general description of PDUs on the PMI website.
  • Click here for the Continuing Certification Requirements Handbook, where you will find more details on PDUs and how to self-report PDUs.

If You Have Questions/Need Help

• If you have any questions or need help, please reach out to the Book Club Team at book-club@pmi-oc.org.

Synopsis from Amazon

This international bestseller [...] offers a field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom, in your community, or at home.

Life is a series of negotiations, and negotiation is at the heart of collaboration—whether you are a business executive, a salesperson, a parent, a community leader, or a spouse. As a former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss gives you the tools to be effective in any situation: negotiating a business deal, buying (or selling) a car, negotiating a salary, acquiring a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner, or communicating with your children. Taking the power of persuasion, empathy, active listening, and intuition to the next level, "Never Split the Difference" gives you the competitive edge in any difficult conversation or challenging situation. This book is a masterclass in influencing others, no matter the circumstances.

After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator. "Never Split the Difference" distills the Voss method, revealing the skills that matter most when it comes to achieving your goals in both your professional and personal life.

Step-by-step, Voss shows you how to:

• Establish Rapport
• Create Trust with Tactical Empathy
• Gain the Permission to Persuade
• Shape What is Fair
• Calibrate Questions
• Transform Conflict into Collaboration
• Spot Liars
• Create Breakthroughs by Revealing the Unknown Unknowns

 

"Never Split the Difference" is your definitive source for defusing potential crises, winning people over, and achieving your goals at work and at home.

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