Getting to Yes by Fisher, Ury and Patton - Summary

The following is a summary and review of the book Getting to Yes by Fisher and Ury.

Is Principled Negotiation the Key to Amicable Agreements?

Are you tired of negotiation tactics that leave one or both parties feeling defeated? Do you seek a collaborative approach that values relationships while achieving desired outcomes? Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In offers a transformative method for conflict resolution. This article summarises the book, highlighting its key concepts, actionable strategies, and overall value. Reading this will equip you with essential negotiation skills applicable in various contexts, saving you time while providing actionable insights.

Table of Contents

• About the Author
• Who Should Read This Book?
• Key Insights and Themes
• Detailed Summary
• Review
• Actionable Takeaways
• FAQs
• Conclusion

About the Author

Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton are the authors of Getting to Yes. Roger Fisher was the Williston Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School, founder and Director Emeritus of the Harvard Negotiation Project, and the Founding Chair of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. William Ury is the co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and a Distinguished Fellow of the Harvard Negotiation Project. Bruce Patton is co-founder and Distinguished Fellow of the Harvard Negotiation Project, co-founder of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and a founder and partner of Vantage Partners, LLC. Their combined expertise in law, anthropology, and conflict resolution makes them highly credible sources on negotiation.

Who Should Read This Book?

Getting to Yes is for anyone who negotiates regularly, whether in personal or professional settings. This includes:

• Professionals in Business: Managers, salespersons, and consultants can use these principles to achieve better deals and maintain strong client relationships.
• Legal Professionals: Lawyers and mediators will find valuable techniques for resolving disputes amicably and effectively.
• Diplomats and Government Officials: The book offers strategies applicable in international relations and policy negotiations.
• Individuals in Personal Relationships: Couples, families, and neighbours can use these methods to resolve conflicts and build stronger relationships.

Key Insights and Themes

The book's primary focus is on principled negotiation, which contrasts with hard and soft positional bargaining. Key takeaways include:

• Separate the People from the Problem: Address the human element by understanding emotions and improving communication.
• Focus on Interests, Not Positions: Discover the underlying needs and desires driving each party's stance.
• Invent Options for Mutual Gain: Create multiple solutions before deciding on a course of action, fostering collaboration.
• Insist on Using Objective Criteria: Base outcomes on fair standards, independent of either party's will.
• BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement): Know your alternatives to protect against unfavourable agreements.

Detailed Summary

The book is structured into three main parts: The Problem, The Method, and Yes, But.

The Problem

Positional bargaining, where each side takes a position and argues for it, is a common but flawed approach.

• Unwise Outcomes: Arguing over positions can lead to agreements that do not satisfy either party's interests.
• Inefficiency: This method is time-consuming, prolonging conflict and delaying resolution.
• Damaged Relationships: Positional bargaining can strain or ruin relationships due to its adversarial nature.
• Complexity with Multiple Parties: It becomes even more challenging in situations involving many parties.
• Being Nice is No Answer: Soft bargaining, which prioritises relationships, can lead to unfavourable agreements.

There is an alternative: principled negotiation.

The Method

Principled negotiation involves four basic points:

1. Separate the People from the Problem:
   • Negotiators Are People First: Recognise that negotiators are individuals with emotions and distinct perceptions.
   • Substance and Relationship: Every negotiator has two types of interests: achieving desired outcomes and maintaining a positive relationship.
   • Perception:
     • Put yourself in their shoes to understand their viewpoint.
     • Don’t deduce their intentions from your fears.
     • Don’t blame them for your problem.
     • Discuss each other’s perceptions.
     • Look for opportunities to act inconsistently with their perceptions.
     • Give them a stake in the outcome by making sure they participate in the process.
     • Save face: Make your proposals consistent with their values.
   • Emotion:
     • First, recognise and understand emotions, theirs and yours.
     • Make emotions explicit and acknowledge them as legitimate.
     • Allow the other side to let off steam.
     • Don’t react to emotional outbursts.
     • Use symbolic gestures to defuse negative emotions.
   • Communication:
     • Listen actively and acknowledge what is being said.
     • Speak to be understood.
     • Speak about yourself, not about them.
     • Speak with a purpose.
     • Build a working relationship.
     • Face the problem, not the people.
2. Focus on Interests, Not Positions:
   • Interests Define the Problem: Interests are needs, desires, fears, and concerns that underlie positions.
   • Identifying Interests:
     • Ask "Why?" to understand the reasons behind positions.
     • Ask "Why not?" to explore potential obstacles.
     • Think about their choices.
     • Realise that each side has multiple interests.
     • The most powerful interests are basic human needs, such as security, economic well-being, and belonging.
     • Make a list of interests.
   • Talking About Interests:
     • Make your interests come alive with specific details.
     • Acknowledge their interests as part of the problem.
     • Put the problem before your answer.
     • Look forward, not back.
     • Be concrete but flexible.
     • Be hard on the problem, soft on the people.
3. Invent Options for Mutual Gain:
   • Diagnosis: Identify obstacles that inhibit the invention of multiple options, such as premature judgment and searching for a single answer.
   • Prescription:
     • Separate inventing from deciding.
     • Broaden your options.
     • Look for mutual gain.
     • Make their decision easy.
   • Separate Inventing from Deciding: Brainstorming sessions can help generate a wide range of ideas without immediate criticism.
     • Define your purpose.
     • Choose a few participants.
     • Change the environment.
     • Design a relaxing atmosphere.
     • Choose a facilitator.
     • Record the ideas in full view.
   • After Brainstorming:
     • Star the most promising ideas.
     • Invent improvements for promising ideas.
     • Set up a time to evaluate ideas and decide.
   • Broaden Your Options:
     • Multiply options by shuttling between the specific and the general.
     • Invent agreements of different strengths.
     • Change the scope of a proposed agreement.
   • Look for Mutual Gain:
     • Identify shared interests.
     • Dovetail differing interests, seeking items of low cost to you and high benefit to them, and vice versa.
   • Make Their Decision Easy:
     • What decision do you want them to make?
     • Phrase the offer in terms of their values.
     • Include a proposal they will find easy to accept.
     • Write out a "yesable proposition".
4. Insist on Using Objective Criteria:
   • Objective Criteria: Insist that the result be based on some objective standard.
   • Developing Objective Criteria:
     • Fair standards: Use independent standards like market value, expert opinion, or legal precedent.
     • Fair procedures: Employ methods like taking turns, drawing lots, or having a third party decide.
   • Negotiating with Objective Criteria:
     • Frame each issue as a joint search for objective criteria.
     • Reason and be open to reason as to which standards are most appropriate and how they should be applied.
     • Never yield to pressure, only to principle.

Yes, But ...

This section addresses common questions and challenges:

• What If They Are More Powerful?: Develop your BATNA.
  • Know your BATNA.
  • Formulate a trip wire.
  • Consider the other side’s BATNA.
• What If They Won’t Play?: Use negotiation jujitsu.
  • Don’t attack their position, look behind it.
  • Don’t defend your ideas, invite criticism and advice.
  • Recast an attack on you as an attack on the problem.
  • Ask questions and pause.
• What If They Use Dirty Tricks?: Taming the Hard Bargainer.
  • Deliberate deception: Recognise the tactic and verify facts.
  • Psychological warfare: Don’t be a victim; address the tactics explicitly.
  • Positional pressure tactics: Negotiate the rules of the game.

Review

Getting to Yes is a highly practical guide to negotiation, offering clear and actionable advice. Its strength lies in its emphasis on principled negotiation, which promotes fairness and collaboration. However, some critics argue that the book oversimplifies complex negotiation scenarios and may not fully address cultural or power imbalances. Despite these limitations, its principles remain valuable for anyone seeking to improve their negotiation skills.

Actionable Takeaways

To apply the lessons from Getting to Yes in real life:

• Prepare Thoroughly: Before any negotiation, identify your interests, potential options, and objective criteria.
• Listen Actively: Pay close attention to the other party's perspective and acknowledge their concerns.
• Brainstorm Solutions: Set aside time to generate multiple options, focusing on mutual gains.
• Stay Principled: Base your arguments and decisions on objective standards, not just personal will.
• Know Your BATNA: Always be aware of your best alternative to protect against unfavourable agreements.

FAQs

• What is "Getting to Yes" about? "Getting to Yes" introduces principled negotiation, a method that focuses on interests, options, and objective criteria to reach amicable agreements.
• Is "Getting to Yes" worth reading? Yes, particularly for those looking to improve their negotiation skills and build stronger relationships through collaborative problem-solving.
• Does positional bargaining ever make sense? Positional bargaining can be easier, it is more likely that both sides benefit from principled negotiation.
• Can the way I negotiate really make a difference if the other side is more powerful?” And “How do I enhance my negotiating power?" How you negotiate can make an enormous difference, whatever the relative strengths of each party. Negotiation power has many sources, including a good BATNA, the relationship, interests, options, objective criteria, the power of commitment, and effective communication.

Conclusion

Getting to Yes offers a transformative approach to negotiation, emphasising collaboration and mutual benefit. By understanding and applying its principles, you can enhance your negotiation skills, build stronger relationships, and achieve more favourable outcomes. Don't miss the opportunity to revolutionise your negotiation strategies.

Getting to Yes

by Fisher, Ury and Patton

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