Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In

by Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton

3.89 · Rating details · 40,270 Ratings · 1,118 Reviews

Describes a method of negotiation that isolates problems, focuses on interests, creates new options, and uses objective criteria to help two parties reach an agreement Amazon.com description: Product Description: Since its original publication nearly thirty years ago, Getting to Yes has helped millions of people learn a better way to negotiate. One of the primary business ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for

Paperback, Second Edition, 200 pages

Published December 1st 1991 by Penguin Books (first published 1981)

More Details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Getting to Yes, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Best Business Books

609 books — 1,140 voters

The Art of Startup Fundraising by Alejandro Cremades

Books Every Businessperson Should Read

314 books — 248 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

filter | sort: default (?) | Rating Details

Feb 03, 2017 Pouting Always rated it liked it · review of another edition

The books okay I guess but a lot of the strategies are so intuitive and the writing wasn't the greatest. Again it's the same thing with all these business books where if you've read one the rest usually don't add anything new but if you haven't read any it could be insightful. These books are usually just useful for helping organize ones thoughts and realize things they couldn't other wise but you can achieve that with some quite thinking time also.

flag 59 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2008 Bob Selden rated it it was amazing

“Getting to Yes” is the benchmark by which all other books on negotiating should be judged. Authors Fisher, Patton and Ury have penned a book that has become a classic in its class as their negotiating principles have been used and quoted again and again the world over.

“Getting to Yes” is quite deceptive at first – it seems a little light weight as it is so easy to read. In fact one could read it from cover to cover in half a day quite easily. Yet, the four principles outlined in their negotiat ...more

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Dolly rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: negotiators

Shelves: nonfiction, religion-philosophy, ireland-irish, africa, iraq, vietnam, japan, india, jewish-israel, military, south-central-america, russia, english, egyptian, other-usa, iran-persia, czech-republic, poland, germany, arabic-arabia, library, ocean-seashore, washington-dc, pakistan, 2012

I attended a class on International Negotiations at the Foreign Service Institute this week and we were assigned this book to read for the class. I thought the book was rather straightforward and I liked the anecdotes. Overall, I think it was a good selection for our class and helped to emphasize the points being taught. I doubt I will become a master negotiator, but I do see benefits from this book and class in my personal life.

Some of the lessons I learned in class include the following:

"Peop I attended a class on International Negotiations at the Foreign Service Institute this week and we were assigned this book to read for the class. I thought the book was rather straightforward and I liked the anecdotes. Overall, I think it was a good selection for our class and helped to emphasize the points being taught. I doubt I will become a master negotiator, but I do see benefits from this book and class in my personal life.

Some of the lessons I learned in class include the following:

"People won't let you change their mind unless they trust you." Thomas Colosi

"Treat every meeting as a negotiation." Thomas Colosi

"People who only use the formal negotiation process will not often be very successful." Thomas Colosi

"First rule of negotiating: Be nice." Carmen Suro-Bredie

interesting quotes from the book:

"A generation ago, the term 'negotiation' also had an adversarial conotation. In contemplating a negotiation, the common question in people's minds was 'Who is going to win and who is going to lose?' To reach an agreement someone had to 'give in.' It was not a pleasant prospect. The idea that both sides could benefit, that both could 'win,' was foreign to many of us. Now it is increasingly recognized that there are cooperative ways of negotiating over differences and that even if a 'win-win' solution cannot be found, a wise agreement can still often be reached that is better for both sides than the alternative." (p. xii)

"In a negotiation, particularly in a bitter dispute, feelings may be more important than talk." (p. 31)

"An apology may be one of the least costly and most rewarding investments you can make." (p. 35)

"No matter how many people are involved in a negotiation, important decisions are typically made when no more than two people are in the room." (p. 38)

"If you want someone to listen and understand your reasoning, give your interests and reasoning first and your conclusions or proposals later." (p. 54)

"Few things facilitate a decision as much as precedent." (p. 80)

"In short, the approach is commit yourself to reaching a solution based on principle, not pressure. Concentrate on the merits of the problem, not the mettle of the parties. Be open to reason, but closed to threats." (p. 84)

"Some of the most effective negotiating you will ever do is when you are not talking." (p. 114)

"Some parties locked into adversarial ruts seem unable to consider alternative approaches until they reach the brink of mutual annihilation, and some not even then." (p. 155)

"Before you even begin to negotiate, it makes sense to envision what a successful agreement might look like." (p. 175) ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Roberto Suarez rated it really liked it

After reading "Getting to Yes", I realized the "bottom line" to negotiation is not the most effective approach to get to what everyone wants and its not to see the negotiation game as a win/lose experience, but a way to develop relationships. Similar to playing frisbee and the relationship of marriage, there are scenarios that have no place for win/lose negotiations because ultimately they will all end with lose/lose results. Individuals should focus, "To be better, the process must, of course, ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2012 Chad Warner rated it really liked it

Shelves: self-help, non-fiction, business, psychology

This book is a very useful and detailed guide to negotiating for mutual gain. It’s a mix of theory, application, and examples. The advice is realistic; it says to be optimistic but aware of your limits. As a freelance web designer (OptimWise), I negotiate in sales and client relations. I’ve seen this book mentioned in magazines like Inc. and Entrepreneur, and a few business and sales books. I finally decided to read it when it was recommended on This Week in Web Design.

Main ideas
• Understand em ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Jul 25, 2015 Fiona rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: i-also-read-nonfiction-occasionally, read-in-2015, protodidact, work-not-teaching

Bad news, everybody: I've turned into a bore. You can tell, because on my first weekend of No Work At All in about six weeks, here I am, reading a guide to negotiation, cover to cover. It's official: I now do CPD for fun. Would you want to talk to me at a party? I wouldn't.

Which is kind of a shame, because this is pretty good. Full of excellent advice, useful scripts and contingency plans. Anecdotes from everything between lease negotiations and the preparatory talks for the Law of the Sea Conve ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Jul 29, 2011 Mike rated it it was amazing

This book was recommended to me by about a dozen friends, colleagues, and professors before I finally decided to read it. Getting to Yes was a good mix between text book technique and anecdotal evidence in negotiations. It taught me to separate the people from the problem and to strive toward common interests to create a win-win relationship instead of playing a game of positioning for a win-lose scenario. I definitely recommend it to anyone who works for a living, anyone who pays rent or a mort ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 18, 2017 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a 3.5 for me. Why did I like Getting Past No better? I think it's because I've been told NO a lot more in my life. You want to join the varsity soccer team? No. You want us to hire you? No. You want affordable rent? No. There was a solid trend there for about 15 years.

There's plenty of applicable knowledge in Getting to Yes, but the authors even admit at the end of the book that you probably already knew it all: This is intended to be a framework to help you define and practice what you ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2014 Trevor rated it liked it

Shelves: psychology

I read this book years and years ago and then, recently, I was helping to write an article on Asia literacy and how this is treated in the Australian media and one of the things that struck me was how much was written about how Australia would benefit economically from a booming Asia, but how little was written about how Asia might benefit from having a relationship with Australia. One of the things this book tells you over and over again is that to really negotiate you need to spend at least as I read this book years and years ago and then, recently, I was helping to write an article on Asia literacy and how this is treated in the Australian media and one of the things that struck me was how much was written about how Australia would benefit economically from a booming Asia, but how little was written about how Asia might benefit from having a relationship with Australia. One of the things this book tells you over and over again is that to really negotiate you need to spend at least as much time thinking about ‘their’ position as you do thinking about ‘yours’. There is a lot of this that is really worthwhile. It is written as a kind of self-help book – and I mean that negatively, but it was a choice they made and so you have to accept that, in a sense. One of the best pieces of advice in this is that if you are going to negotiate ethically, you need to focus on ‘reasons’. That is, try to keep the discussion on why something is fair or what other people have done which can be used as a standard for negotiations.

Now, I found this book hard going this time. Mostly because I worked as a negotiator for a trade union full time for 8 years and as a senior delegate for 20 and this brought back far too many bad memories. And while I really do understand that the techniques discussed here are very useful, there actually are times when there are no objective measures by which to conduct negotiations. This is particularly true when you are trying to negotiate for ‘better’ conditions and wages. Then references to what has gone before and what is consistent with that simply tie the negotiations down and mean you can never expect any better - which is precisely why management seek to use that as a technique. At one of the last negotiations I was involved in the 'gold standard' that was offered was economists perception of the likely rate of inflation in 12 months to two years from the time of the negotiation. This was 2009 - immediately after virtually not a single economist had predicted the GFC. Finding 'gold standards' with this stuff sometimes can be a real challenge.

But, that said, you probably aren’t going to really be doing industrial negotiations, you are much more likely to be doing negotiations involving spouses or kids or your local mechanic. And the techniques used here for framing the negotiations and for teaching you ways to remain calm are really, really useful.

All the same, the self-help book style of this one is a bit hard to take. So this is basically some really good advice said in just about the worst way possible.
...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Feb 06, 2016 Федор Кривов rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Есть третий путь ведения переговоров, предусматривающий позицию, основанную не на слабости или твердости, а скорее объединяющий и то и другое. Метод принципиальных переговоров, разработанный в рамках Гарвардского проекта по переговорам, состоит в том, чтобы решать проблемы на основе их качественных свойств, т. е. исходя из сути дела, а не торговаться по поводу того, на что может пойти или нет каждая из сторон. Этот метод предполагает, что вы стремитесь найти взаимную выгоду там, где только возмо Есть третий путь ведения переговоров, предусматривающий позицию, основанную не на слабости или твердости, а скорее объединяющий и то и другое. Метод принципиальных переговоров, разработанный в рамках Гарвардского проекта по переговорам, состоит в том, чтобы решать проблемы на основе их качественных свойств, т. е. исходя из сути дела, а не торговаться по поводу того, на что может пойти или нет каждая из сторон. Этот метод предполагает, что вы стремитесь найти взаимную выгоду там, где только возможно, а там, где ваши интересы не совпадают, следует настаивать на таком результате, который был бы обоснован какими-то справедливыми нормами независимо от воли каждой из сторон. Метод принципиальных переговоров означает жесткий подход к рассмотрению существа дела, но предусматривает мягкий подход к отношениям между участниками переговоров. Он не прибегает к трюкам и не использует фактор положения. Принципиальные переговоры показывают, как достичь того, что вам полагается по праву, и остаться при этом в рамках приличий. Этот метод дает вам возможность быть справедливым, одновременно предохраняя от тех, кто мог бы воспользоваться вашей честностью. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2011 Tamara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, being-human

Eye-opening. Now, how do I rewrite all of my bad habits to take advantage of the knowledge in this book...?

Could help provide a foundation for the upcoming website redesign discussions.

Favorite Tips

Separate the people from the problem.
Focus on interests, not positions.
Generate a variety of possibilities before deciding what to do.
Insist that the result be based on some objective standard.

Where perceptions are inaccurate, you can look for ways to educate. If emotions run high, you can find w ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2016 Kirtida Gautam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: self-help, yin-yang

I am researching for the Book 3 Yin Yang which is all about power, politics, and social influence. Therefore Getting to Yes was in my To-Read list for quite sometime now. But as I am preparing for an important upcoming negotiation, I decided to read it urgently and finished in 5 days. (which was not difficult considering it's one of the most interesting books I have read this year)

It's a must-read, and I mean MUST-READ book for any person who is dealing with any kind of negotiation-- which mean ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2012 Mike Fox rated it did not like it

I read this after my boss sent me a copy indicating that the strategies contained within the book were quite valuable. I was aware that the book existed and of the concept of soft positional bargaining so I thought I'd check it out. What a load of crap. The book might be useful for politicians or other criminal enterprises but their examples of people engaging in soft positional bargaining didn't even sound like human beings but more like robots on Prozac. On top of that there were strong intone ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 02, 2017 Bartosz Majewski rated it it was amazing

Shelves: business

Great book about basics of negotiations. It's full of case studies and presents a basic framework for getting things done by focusing negotiators on the problem instead of one another. Highly recommended.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 12, 2014 Sunny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: business-literature

A excellent book about negotiation. There were 4 key rules of negotiaton that I remembered from this:
1. Separating People and Issues - Fisher and Ury's first principle is to separate the people from the issues. People tend to become personally involved with the issues and with their side's positions. And so they will tend to take responses to those issues and positions as personal attacks. Separating the people from the issues allows the parties to address the issues without damaging their relat ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 20, 2010 Taka rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: other, japan_jul07-aug11, 2-nonfiction-you-must-read

Excellent Framework--

The framework of what the authors call "principled negotiation" is pretty much the same as the framework of "crucial conversations." It also meshes well with Dale Carnegie's framework of winning friends and influencing people and to some extent, Manuel J. Smith's Here Be Dragons and Stephen Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

It lays out a practical approach to negotiation based on independent standards of fairness. And to do this, you need to separate the pe ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 03, 2007 Peep Laja rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: people that want to improve on their negotiation skills

This is a book about negotiations. We negotiate almost every day, whether its about the idea you came up with at work, which movie to see in the cinema or convincing somebody to do something. For those who want deeper insights into the art of principal based negotiations, this is a gem. I have used the knowledge I gained consciously so many times. I often in the middle of negotiations find myself thinking of the principals I learned, and have used them very successfully. There is no need to wast ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2017 John rated it really liked it

John F Kennedy famously said in his 1961 Inaugural Address, "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." For most of us, negotiation is almost synonymous with fear. How do we move to a place of negotiating with confidence and peace? 'Getting to Yes' is as good a place to start that process as any I could imagine.

'Getting to Yes' was first published in 1981. In this, the third edition of this time tested book, the authors begin acknowledging the flattening of the work John F Kennedy famously said in his 1961 Inaugural Address, "Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." For most of us, negotiation is almost synonymous with fear. How do we move to a place of negotiating with confidence and peace? 'Getting to Yes' is as good a place to start that process as any I could imagine.

'Getting to Yes' was first published in 1981. In this, the third edition of this time tested book, the authors begin acknowledging the flattening of the workplace. If anything, flatter organizations make Fisher and Ury's work all the more important. It's not surprising then, that they note that "a generation ago, the term 'negotiation' also had an adversarial connotation. In contemplating a negotiation, the common question in people's minds was, 'Who is going to win and who is going to lose?'" Fisher and Ury suggest there is a better way in 'Getting to Yes' and then show you how to get there.

As a pastor, you might think that negotiation isn't a skill I have to use very often, but Fisher and Ury's book was not only helpful to me in my personal life (I'm currently negotiating a contract with a solar company and have over the past two years negotiated a home sale, a car purchase, a job contract, to name just a few). But our lives are filled with negotiation. Even in my role as a pastor, negotiation is a daily occurrence, from negotiating sermon series to recruiting people into ministry roles, to navigating ministry direction, to negotiating staff culture and church vision documents. Simply put, we all need Fisher and Ury's book.

In their clearly outlined book, they suggest that the most significant problem is that we bargain over positions. To transform our ability to successfully negotiate we must do the following four things:
1) Separate the people from the problem;
2) Focus on interests, not positions;
3) Invent options for mutual gain;
4) Insist on using objective criteria.

Some important insights along this journey include the ability to absorb criticism and not take it personally, to "face the problem, not the people," and to find compatible interests as you negotiate. Fisher and Ury recommend that you always try to uncover the methodology of how the other party created their offer and to work on principles and method they used to develop their offer. They also recommend always walking into a negotiation with a BATNA- best alternative to a negotiated agreement. If you don't have a plan B, then you can become tunnel-visioned in your negotiation. They also say that when we present an offer, our impulse is to defend our ideas, but we put ourselves in the best position if we"invite criticism" and advice.

Fisher and Ury then lead us through three frequent objections or roadblocks: what if they are more powerful? What if they won't play? Or what if they use dirty tricks? And then they conclude with a very practical section that negotiates ten frequently asked questions about applying their methods.

I was impressed not just with the combination of clarity and thoroughness from Fisher and Ury, I was also impressed by how ethically grounded 'Getting to Yes' was. One of their FAQs they respond to is "Should I be fair if I don't have to be?" Thy respond, "Sometimes you may have an opportunity to get more than you think would be fair. Should you take it. In our opinion, not without careful thought." They go on to explain that there is the potential for relational and spiritual/psychological fall-out.

Negotiation, unsurprisingly, also is most effective face to face. They shared interesting data from a study: "In a negotiation where only sellers knew what an item was worth, the results varied dramatically based on the mode of communication. In face-to-face interactions, only a small minority of sellers lied and took advantage. But in written interactions a third did and in phone negotiations more than half did. Meanwhile buyers were appropriately wary in written interactions, but generally trusting in face-to-face and phone negotiations, leading many telephone buyers to be seriously disadvantaged. Almost 60 percent of face-to-face interactions resulted in mutually beneficial agreements, while only 22 percent did in written interactions and 38 percent in telephone negotiations."

One of the most intense negotiations I've ever had to walk through was as a green pastor, purchasing land from the largest land owner in the county (maybe the state, depending on who was telling the story). He was wealthiest man I've ever negotiated with and, well past retirement age, appeared to still be in the game merely for the sport of it. We heard stories that he would counter with higher figures and cancel contracts just to toy with the buyer. This seller was the perfect fusion of the three biggest roadblocks: he was more powerful, wouldn't play, and used dirty tricks. I was grateful to have two much more skilled negotiators with me who clearly had imbibed the 'Getting to Yes' planning and watch them in action. The negotiation wasn't about beating this master, it was about establishing clear communication where we understood what would be a win for him (the price he wanted) while developing creative options that benefited us (partial financing, very flexible contract cancellation clauses). I'm grateful for the life tutorials that preceded Fisher and Ury's book and then the clear and practical presentation of those ideas in 'Getting to Yes.' I highly recommend the book.
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 16, 2016 Charlene rated it really liked it

Shelves: decision-making

I was shocked to see that this was first written in 1991. Not only is it relevant today, it is a far more balanced and fair approach to negotiating. No sensationalism. Simply good advice about how to think and talk to others when trying to compromise.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 30, 2015 Leona rated it it was amazing

Shelves: leadership, business

Everything in life, can be a negotiation. This book gives a powerful lesson on staying focused on the issues rather than the positions.

Recommended for everyone. Easy to read.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

May 22, 2017 Claire Lee rated it it was amazing

I read this book for negotiations class in college. It completely changed my mind about what negotiations are. Instead of being an extreme negotiator (sticking stubbornly to your positions without swaying) or being a soft negotiator (reaching resolution as soon as possible without creating conflict), principled negotiation is presented as a viable solution by this book. Principled negotiation is all about focusing on interests rather than positions, brainstorming options, and presenting a soluti ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2017 Artem Dubowiecki rated it really liked it

This is a guide book, an instruction. Very well structured, stingy for providing examples, but the book you'll leave on your desk for reference. I made lots of notes and refer back to it before every more or less significant occasion to negotiate anything - weekend plans with my wife or to do list with my team at work.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 02, 2017 Angela added it

Shelves: work

I read this for work. It had some good ideas for changing the tone of negotiation and not gettimg bogged down in positional bargaining. I like the idea of BATNA (best alternative to no agreement). The book made me realize I should be doing more prep work for negotiations at work.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 10, 2017 Vikrant Varma rated it really liked it

Clear, insightful, and packed with practical advice. A heavy duty negotiation manual that reads like a bestseller. One of those rare books that takes unobvious lessons learned by experts (in this case, through the Harvard Negotiation Project), and shows you how to meaningfully transfer them into your own life.

Required reading. We'd all be better off thinking about interests instead of positions, separating people from the problem, and using objective criteria.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 08, 2010 Triwahyudi rated it really liked it

Basically I would say that this book is normative and common knowledge book that put all the application methods into the theory. However I feel this book is very important as a handy book or guidebook for every negotiator while doing any negotiation. This book put all negotiation principles, techniques, and steps which sometime most negotiators forget to do during the negotiation process. The book is very easy to follow and the best point is we cannot disagree about the entire content of the bo Basically I would say that this book is normative and common knowledge book that put all the application methods into the theory. However I feel this book is very important as a handy book or guidebook for every negotiator while doing any negotiation. This book put all negotiation principles, techniques, and steps which sometime most negotiators forget to do during the negotiation process. The book is very easy to follow and the best point is we cannot disagree about the entire content of the book because all the concepts is generated from daily negotiation practice and people behavior within negotiation process. The book seems built based on abundant negotiation experience and it compiles a variety of negotiating techniques that are both clever and likely to facilitate effective negotiation.

As a practitioner, the best concept that I can learn from this book is how to dive into someone position to find its background and interest. I did many negotiation process but I never realize the importance of finding someone interest and then combine it with another party’s interest to make an agreement. Many times we only argued the position and found it only made the negotiation process near to the deadlock. Even though the position-arguing negotiation process resulted solution, it remained unsatisfying each party. Through solving the interest, the rationale behind out position, we can simplify the negotiation process and obtain better settlement without spending too much time debating about our position.
Another concept that I have learned very important, and I believe everybody does, is BATNA - Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement. During negotiation I always had so-called reserve alternative that I prepared if settlement or solution cannot be obtained. However I never assumed that this alternative would bring significant effect in decision making for each party during the negotiation. Therefore I never found and defined my reserve alternatives strategically; moreover I did not consider those alternatives as my power in playing the negotiation game. After understanding BATNA concept introduced in this book, I strongly agree about how important your reserve alternative in determining the result of negotiation.

These two concepts, interest-finding and BATNA, are very simple concepts that I am trying to apply them in my daily life, such as when negotiate with my work group, scholarship sponsor, professor, and even on the light case like negotiate with colleagues and roommate.

Suggestion for the reader, it will be better if we use preliminary assumptions as we reading Getting to Yes that this book mostly discuss about the negotiation technique and approach where all the parties are in equal position, distribute the same power, and stand in the same height. Also this book is tend to be work as advance handbook or guidebook that touch many important aspect deeply, but neglects other limiting factors as well as oversimplify the most troublesome problems inherent in the art and practice of negotiation.

I would recommend this book to be read for everybody who dealing with negotiation process in his/her daily life. This book is not only can be applied on formal negotiation process (such as office problem, political conflict, and international issue) but also on informal and small scale negotiation process, such as husband-wife relationship, sport team problem, etc. All readers also don’t have to applied all entire concept in this book because each concept can be applied separately depend on what kind of negotiation process that they are facing.
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 06, 2017 Annasnova rated it really liked it · review of another edition

First book on sales and negotiations I've ever read. Picked it up because of many positive reviews on Goodreads. Well written and accessible, the advice is intuitive and at the same time revealing. Gives a solid foundation on basics of principled negotiations, and will be a good reference to turn to when facing difficult negotiations.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Nov 13, 2016 Brenda rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Firstly, I have learnt that one important and effective way of negotiation is to place the focus of the negotiation on interests over positions. In the book, he states that this is an important rule to bear in mind as “Your ego becomes identified with your position. You now have a new interest in “saving face” — in reconciling future action with past positions — making it less and less likely that any agreement will wisely reconcile the parties.” This is extremely true. I feel that it is unwise Firstly, I have learnt that one important and effective way of negotiation is to place the focus of the negotiation on interests over positions. In the book, he states that this is an important rule to bear in mind as “Your ego becomes identified with your position. You now have a new interest in “saving face” — in reconciling future action with past positions — making it less and less likely that any agreement will wisely reconcile the parties.” This is extremely true. I feel that it is unwise to focus on one’s position as it renders the argument personal. We tend to then become fixated on a particular position and end up stubborn, arguing and defending these fixed positions just for the sake of it rather than being open to understanding interests and exploring mutually beneficial possibilities. When we develop such tunnel vision, we are unable to even consider the possibility of compromising and adjusting our perspectives. This makes a negotiation either impossible as both parties cannot reach a resolution, or ineffective as one person would have to give in entirely and have their interests not met. It is therefore ineffective to bargain over one’s position, and the negotiation could proceed much more smoothly and effectively when we are clear about what we really want rather than what we state our positions to be. Thus, the importance of understanding one’s interests and perspective of the situation is salient to the art of negotiation.

Furthermore, I have also learnt that it takes time and effort to identify one’s true interest and that it requires patience on one end, and a willingness to be vulnerable on another. Our interests are usually more implicit and complicated than our positions and they may be purposefully or unintentionally hidden. By precisely identifying each person’s interest, the negotiation can target their specific concerns and provide a fair resolution with their interests in mind. One should put themselves in the other parties’ shoes and ask themselves why they are fighting for their. Not only can you then better revise your own views about the merit of a situation or position, but it is also a benefit as it allows one to specifically target to reduce the area of conflict and “advance your newly enlightened self-interest”.

The final insight distilled upon me through Getting to Yes is the method of generating many possibilities before making the decision on the next course of action. It is important to combat tunnel vision for reasons as mentioned in my first insight. Fisher mentions that negotiations often have a lot at stake, and the pressure of finding the one perfect solution to such negotiations often hinders creativity. Therefore, to allow for both parties to reach the most optimal solution, I have learnt that a good way to figure out what works best is to brainstorm and invent a spectrum of possibilities and options so as to open ourselves up to different methods and ideas to combat the conflict and find different ways for both parties for mutual gain. With the spectrum of ideas, it is then easier both parties to better tweak and fine-tune the details to advance shared interests as well as reconcile the differences. Thus, a strong negotiation technique to bear in mind is the constant creation of a variety of possibilities and solutions to combat the pressing conflicts of interest so that the best possible solution can be presented for an effective negotiation.

...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 30, 2010 Ash Moran rated it really liked it

Shelves: psychology, communication, books-i-read-in-2013

The book concludes: "You knew it all the time. There is probably nothing in this book that you did not already know at some level of your experience." To a large extent, this is true. The main concept behind "principled negotiation" is that the best, mutually beneficial agreements come from understanding why each side wants what they want, then looking for common goals and creative ways to satisfy both sides. This I know from the Conflict Resolution Diagram thinking tool from Theory of Constrain The book concludes: "You knew it all the time. There is probably nothing in this book that you did not already know at some level of your experience." To a large extent, this is true. The main concept behind "principled negotiation" is that the best, mutually beneficial agreements come from understanding why each side wants what they want, then looking for common goals and creative ways to satisfy both sides. This I know from the Conflict Resolution Diagram thinking tool from Theory of Constraints. Another key point is that the biggest source of negotiation power comes from what each side's alternatives are. This I know from economics (in the Austrian sense of the word): if you have needs to meet, you'll try to use your time and resources efficiently to get them, whether that be investing in negotiating a given deal or taking an alternative.

But Getting to Yes puts these ideas in a simple, accessible way, with clear explanations and credible examples. It hasn't had as much impact on me as eg the things I mention above, but it's let me consolidate and reframe some skills I already have, and I've extracted a framework/checklist which I'll apply to future negotiation situations I find myself in. (So it's simplistic to say I "knew" these things, as I now see situations where I failed to apply them because I didn't have the frame this book presents.) The description of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) is really important. It explains why being "powerful" (rich, of high status etc) is probably not that important: what matters is what each side's alternative is if the other decides they don't want to play. My favourite story is about a town council that got a manufacturing firm to agree to a tax hike from $300k to $2.3m, and is a sobering reminder to not paint yourself into a corner.

Because its so short and straightforward, I recommend it to anyone who has any even moderate negotiations to make - taking a job, buying a car, renting a flat etc. It's not about hardball negotiating "to win"; it's a quick way to learn how to see what a "fair" agreement might be, and whether you'd be better off taking another option altogether. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 19, 2016 Emily rated it really liked it

I don't know why I thought this was a book about sales techniques; it's actually a book about negotiation skills, and in particular what the author calls principled negotiation (considering the interests of both parties) as opposed to positional negotiation (taking positions). Although it wasn't what I was expecting, it's a very interesting book, clearly explaining the weakness of positional negotiation and how to change the discussion to a more productive examination of all parties' interests.

T ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jan 07, 2014 Jacob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, psychology, economics, classic, business, from_library

This book is pretty straightforward, and seems a bit plain -- I don't know whether that is because it's such a classic it's permeated our culture, or because I've already read a couple of books on negotiating (Secrets of Power Negotiating: Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator and 3-D Negotiation: Powerful Tools to Change the Game in Your Most Important Deals) or maybe it really is written plainly. I think it's as solid advice as you can get without actual negotiating experience or practice.

Th ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Required Reading in Divroce	1	2	Sep 05, 2016 04:11PM
EntrepreNerds: Communicating Effectively	1	15	Feb 13, 2013 01:45PM

Readers Also Enjoyed

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Business

385 users

Psychology

184 users

Nonfiction

177 users

Language > Communication

90 users

Business > Management

89 users

Self Help

60 users

See top shelves…

About Roger Fisher

Roger Fisher is the Samuel Williston Professor of Law Emeritus, Director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, and the founder of two consulting organizations devoted to strategic advice and negotiation training.

See also: Roger Fisher (academic) on Wikipedia

More about Roger Fisher...

Books by Roger Fisher

Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate

Getting It Done: How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

Getting Together: Building Relationships As We Negotiate

Beyond Machiavelli : Tools for Coping With Conflict

Lateral Leadership: Getting It Done When You Are Not The Boss

More…

Share This Book

+ Share on your website

Trivia About Getting to Yes: N...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Getting to Yes: N...

“People listen better if they feel that you have understood them. They tend to think that those who understand them are intelligent and sympathetic people whose own opinions may be worth listening to. So if you want the other side to appreciate your interests, begin by demonstrating that you appreciate theirs.” — 8 likes

“The more extreme the opening positions and the smaller the concessions, the more time and effort it will take to discover whether or not agreement is possible.” — 4 likes

More quotes…

title link	preview: Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In
avg rating	preview: Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In Goodreads rating: 3.89 (40270 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/313605.Getting_to_Yes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442289862l/313605.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/313605.Getting_to_Yes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher[/url]

See a Problem?

Preview — Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher

Getting to Yes: Negotiating an Agreement Without Giving In

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Popular Answered Questions

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

Readers Also Enjoyed

Videos About This Book

Genres

About Roger Fisher

Books by Roger Fisher

Share This Book

Share on your website

Trivia About Getting to Yes: N...

Quotes from Getting to Yes: N...