Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
rethink bargaining so you win on merit without burning bridges
About This Book
Most people treat negotiation like tug-of-war: pull harder, give in, or walk away. This guide shows a better path. You’ll learn to separate people from problems, dig beneath positions to uncover real interests, invent options that expand the pie, and lock agreements to fair standards instead of willpower. Through everyday examples—family plans, school projects, salary talks—you’ll see how to keep emotions steady, communicate clearly, and shape outcomes that last. Whether you’re dealing with a tense teammate or a high‑stakes contract, you’ll leave with a practical playbook to get better results with less stress and stronger relationships.About the Author
Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton were leading practitioners and teachers of negotiation, known for shaping interest‑based bargaining at the Harvard Negotiation Project. They advised governments, companies, unions, and communities on disputes ranging from boardroom standoffs to international crises. Their work combines rigorous research with field-tested tools: focusing on interests, inventing options, insisting on objective criteria, and strengthening one’s best alternative. Their practical, humane approach has helped millions negotiate wisely, efficiently, and amicably.
Biggest Takeaway
• Replace haggling with a clear, repeatable method that saves time and energy. • Turn conflict into collaboration by surfacing interests and designing win‑win options. • Protect relationships while getting better terms using objective standards. • Build and leverage your BATNA so you never feel trapped at the table. • Defuse hardball tactics with negotiation jujitsu and process moves. • Make decisions easier for others with yesable proposals and fair procedures. • Improve confidence, reduce anxiety, and create agreements that people actually keep.
Key Insights from This Book
Explore the most important ideas and learn how to apply them in your life.
Stop fighting people and start fixing the problem you share
Stop haggling over positions and uncover the interests that actually move people
Creativity beats compromise when you invent options before deciding
Replace contests of will with objective standards that feel fair
Never negotiate from fear again by building your BATNA and tripwire
Turn hardball into collaboration using negotiation jujitsu and a one‑text draft
Use differences to trade smart instead of splitting the difference
Make saying yes easy with a simple, legitimate, yesable proposal
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