Getting to YES
Negotiating an agreement without giving in
Authors: Roger Fisher and William Ury With Bruce Patton
Authors’ bio and credits: The authors of this book are part of the Harvard negotiation project and have been working together since 1977. Author's main point Getting to Yes offers a concise, step-by-step proven strategy for coming to mutually acceptable agreements in every sort of conflict – whether it involves parents and children, neighbors, bosses and employees, customers or corporations, tenants or diplomats.
Introduction
Negotiation is a fact of life. Everyone negotiates something every day. Negotiation is a basic means of getting what you want from others. It is back and forth communication designed to reach an agreement when you and the other side have some interests that are shared and others that are opposed. Whether in business, government, or the family, people reach most decisions through negotiation. Standard strategies for negotiation often leave people dissatisfied, worn out, or alienated and frequently all three. The method of principled negotiation developed at the Harvard negotiation project is to decide issues on their merits rather than through a haggling process focused on what each side says it will and won’t do. It suggests that you look for mutual gains whenever possible, and that where your interests conflict, you should insist that the results be based on some fair standards independent of the will of either side. Principled negotiation shows you how to obtain what you are entitled to and still be decent. It enables you to be fair while protecting you against those who would take advantage of your fairness. Every negotiation is different, but the basic elements do not change. Principled negotiation can be used whether there is one issue or several; two parties or many; whether there is a prescribed ritual, as in collective bargaining, or an impromptu free for all as in talking with hijackers....