This book changed the study and practice of negotiation since it was first published.

It is one of the most important books on negotiation ever written.

It is based on "interest based" negotiation and "expanding the pie" and then "dividing it". It is about cooperative negotiation and how this should be the default rule whenever possible.

It is excellent and a must read for any student of negotiation.

Since there are already 140 reviews, I'll keep it short.

"Getting to yes" has been recommended to me for many years and used as a basis of several trainings and discussions I had in the past. I finally decided to read the book to see if there is anything more than what I heard earlier. From that perspective, I was disappointed. Though, looking at the book without previous knowledge, I'd say that it's a great introduction to principled negotiation, probably the best there is.

The core of the book tries to explain the reader that negotiating about fixes positions is most of the time a lose-lose scenario. Therefore it's better to try to look at what both negotiators interests are and then try to work from there. Then by using these interests, the negotiators will be able to find a solutions with is mutual beneficial for both parties. That way a negotiations turns into a win-win situation and also does not have any personal impacts on the people doing the negotiation.

From this core perspectives, the authors approach different topics related to negotiation. When to negotiate (having you're alternative). Ways to brainstorm solutions. Ways to negotiate with many parties. Working in a principled way if the person with whom you are negotiating is not, etc etc.

The second edition ends with a section on answers to common questions, which almost summarizes the book itself.

"Getting to Yes" is a small book (though it could have been smaller!) and is definitively worth reading. It wasn't as good as I expected, but have not seem a better book on this topic. Recommended.

I read this book a few years ago, integrated it into my daily relations and field tested it across a range of situations. The theory is detailed, with example dialogues and tactical advise, but for me this has only been illustration. The best about this book is the changed attitudes to negotiation as a consequence of understanding it.

This is a general prescriptive theory of negotiation, which means it goes for any relationship where different interests touch. The four key points are:

1. Separate the people from the problem
2. Focus on interests, not positions
3. Invent options for mutual gain
4. Insist on objective criteria

After you understand the examples, this is all you need to remember to be an effective negotiator. The challenge in practice is to steer the negotiation along these lines, and when successful, you get a friendly discussion about what you can easily do for the other person, with measurable results.

This book arrived in less than a week and was in the condition advertised. I was satisfied with the transaction and would purchase from this seller again.

An very good book detailing steps to take to effectively use interest-based bargaining strategies for your organization. This book is from the leading experts on this topic.

In the fields of negotiation and mediation, one small book has had a tremendous impact. Published in 1981, Roger Fisher and William Ury's book, Getting to Yes, introduced the concept of "principled" or "interest-based" bargaining. It is difficult to find a negotiation or mediation course that does not reference this landmark text. It is one of the most well-known works in negotiation literature and has been the focus of considerable commentary by legal scholars. Some of the book's strengths are its discussions on separating the people from the problem and focusing on interests, rather than positions. This book introduced the term BATNA, your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement, the standard against which Fisher and Ury claim any proposed agreement should be measured. It make sense, because using your BATNA as a standard, you can protect yourself or your clients from accepting terms that are too unfavorable and from rejecting terms it would be in your interest to accept. The lessons on principled negotiation are well worth the short amount of time it will take to read this book.

Principled negotiation, as espoused by Fisher and Ury, is an approach to bargaining that expands "the pie" rather than just dividing it as with distributive bargaining. Principled negotiation is the win-win approach that is also referred to as integrative bargaining. In contrast, distributive bargaining generally assumes a zero-sum position where plus one for me equals minus one for you. Both approaches, distributive and integrative have a place on the bargaining table. Having a clear understanding of both approaches enables an attorney to be more flexible when representing clients' interests in negotiations and mediations. It is not uncommon for a party to take an integrative approach at the outset of a negotiation and switch to distributive bargaining sometime during the process. This is usually when the interests are being explored early on, and then actual negotiations regarding money become the focus at the end. When dollars are being discussed, distributive bargaining is most common. Sometimes a party will take the distributive approach when the negotiations commence and then become more integrative when a deal or settlement is not reached with the competitive method. The successful attorney prepares for negotiations and considers which approach, or what combination of approaches, makes the most sense for the matter at hand.

The classic example many mediation and negotiation trainers use to illustrate the differences between distributive and integrative bargaining comes from Getting to Yes and involves two sisters quarreling over a single orange. Each sister's position is she needs 100% of the orange. Using a distributive approach, for one sister to gain some of the orange, the other must lose. The mediator or negotiator using a distributive approach may come up with a solution as mom did when she entered the kitchen and found the two sisters arguing over who should have the orange. Wanting to be fair to both of her daughters, mom the mediator proposed this solution. One daughter would cut the orange in half and the other daughter would choose which half she would receive. Over all, this seems like a fair and reasonable solution, and in fact, this is how many disputes are resolved and how many negotiations play out. Each sister gets 50% of what they wanted. The result achieves fairness and arguably a win-win solution. But can we do better?

Using Fisher and Ury's principled approach, the focus is shifted to the sisters' interests rather than their positions. This time, rather than just proposing a solution, mom the mediator seeks to understand and find out why each sister wants the orange. Mom discovers that one sister does not really even like oranges, but she wants to bake a Christmas cake which calls for the peels of one orange. The other girl wants to eat the fruit and plans to toss the peels into the garbage. Learning the interests of each person, rather than just knowing their positions, allows for creative and often much more satisfying results. By giving the peel to the first girl, and the fruit to her sister, each girl receives 100% of what she wanted for a truly win-win solution.

If only all problems were that easy to solve! If they were, many of us would be out of jobs. Real problems are often much more complex, and very rarely can you get 100% for each party, but many times you can do better than 50/50. It takes some effort learning interest based principles and incorporating them into negotiations and a willingness to look beyond the distributive solutions and expand "the pie" based on parties' interests rather than positions, but the solutions and results obtained are well worth the time and effort.

For the person who wants to expand "the pie" of negotiation skills to better serve clients, Getting to Yes is a quick read with useful insights and techniques. The book has been criticized as neglecting a significant part of the negotiation process (distributive bargaining) and oversimplifying many of the troublesome problems inherent in the art and practice of negotiation. Nonetheless, it contains useful techniques and valid criticism regarding negotiation and should be read by every practicing attorney, especially those involved with mediation. It is especially useful for those who tend to only negotiate with a distributional or distributive approach. I encourage everyone to read this small negotiating gem and incorporate the problem solving techniques in their negotiations and explore mutual profitable resolutions in their mediations.


Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author, speaker
Hard-Won Wisdom From The School of Hard Knocks, Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, and The Lock On Joint Locking series. Alain has also written numerous articles, including a column on Negotiation for The Montana Lawyer magazine.

This book on Negotiation is a great resource for those seeking to understand the negotiation process. It covers many of the fundamental skills and topics of negotiation. A must have for those who are exploring the topics for the frist time.

1991 second edition, Penguin Books, 229 pages (of which 187 pages form the main body of the book).

If you've read any of my other reviews, you won't be surprised to discover this is another of the twenty books recommended by Charlie Munger in the second edition of Poor Charlie's Almanack (the most useful book I've read).

I have wanted to learn more about negotiation since last year, when I had particularly protracted and unpleasant negotiations over leaving my previous full time job. It was probably the most unpleasant time of my life, it went on for months and the return for that huge personal cost was very poor (for everyone except my lawyer, that is). My relations with all of the people at the firm were also destroyed by the time the mess finally ended. I figured there had to be a better way - and the sooner I learned it the better.

Having a single book on the subject recommended by a very well read and extremely effective individual in his eighties like Munger was ideal. If there is a single, most useful text on negotiation, this should be it. Fortunately, even with such high expectations, I wasn't disappointed. I would include Getting to Yes amongst the top ten most useful books I have read.

It makes an excellent companion volume to Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog, which I have just re-read. Getting to Yes tells you how to approach forming agreements between people (whether a divorce or simply which film to watch at the cinema this week). Don't Shoot the Dog shows you how to teach (whether animals, people or yourself) and learn. Between them they cover most of the important situations in which conflict is likely to occur.

Their general approach is the same: that efforts to dominate or be combative are unnecessary and usually counter-productive. The most obvious specific similarity is their suggestion that one always try to look at the situation from the other side:

"The ability to see the situation as the other side sees it, as difficult as it may be, is one of the most important skills a negotiator can possess."

Many people (previously including myself) think that if one is not being `tough' then one is being weak. Both of these wonderfully humane books show clearly that this is not the case. You can be pleasant and understanding whilst still being tough (in the principled sense) and unyieldingly fair. What a relief to know that you can be both - and be more effective.

I found Getting to Yes rather painful to read at times, as I kept comparing the advice and examples in the book with my own experiences of the previous year. Many times the authors advise acting in a certain way and warn what is likely to happen with other (more common) approaches. My book is littered with scribbled comments saying things like `oh dear - this is exactly what happened in my situation'.

Most people view negotiation (I certainly did) as simply a choice between hard and soft positional bargaining. Fortunately it turns out that this view is wrong:

"If you do not like the choice between hard and soft positional bargaining, you can change the game.
The game of negotiation takes place at two levels. At one level, negotiation addresses the substance; at another it focuses - usually implicitly - on the procedure for dealing with the substance."

This whole book is about how one changes the procedural game from positional bargaining to what the authors call `principled negotiation'. Principled negotiation involves attacking the problem independent of the people by focussing on interests rather than positions. By focussing on the interests - that literally must underlie all positions - the authors show that it is often possible to invent additional options that fulfil those interests better than the obvious initial positions. By insisting on the use of objective criteria, the authors also show how one can form wiser agreements and cope with intransigent positional bargainers (it becomes difficult to sustain arbitrary positions in the face of a negotiator who brings in objective, external standards to justify all of his suggestions).

It is welcome to see that the authors realise their methods are no panacea. They understand that the best a method of negotiation can achieve is the wisest result possible for all parties, bearing in mind the situation and the people involved.

I particularly liked the brevity and clear structure of Getting to Yes. There is a danger in `how to' books like this of being presented with so many individual pieces of advice that, whilst individually sensible, we find ourselves overwhelmed when we try to put them into practice. All the advice forms a sort of mental sludge from which little stands out.

I noted with interest the authors mention in the preface that their editor reorganised the book and cut it in half: "To spare our readers, he had the good sense not to spare our feelings." I couldn't agree more and I`m very grateful to their (clearly first rate) editor. It reminds me of a comment Elmore Leonard made about his own books: "if it reads easy, it was because it was written hard". That's the way books should be.

If you want to improve your negoation skills, this book is is one of the best.

If you have been wondering where to start, to develop skills on negotiations, this is a nice book to read.

The authors bring out the merits of the principled negotiations over the traditional hard/soft negotiation techniques. The book recommends to focus on the people, their interests, available options and the standards in any negotiation. I liked the BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement) concept which can be applied to many real life negotiation situations.

The content is short & sweet. This book is focussed on principled negotiations and doesn't deal with all the negotiation paradigms. I would consider this as a primer for negotiations. At the end, there are a few techniques suggested to handle people who play dirty tricks.

You cannot learn to swim by reading a book. Similarly, you cannot be a negotiation expert overnight by just reading this book. You should perpetually apply the ideas.

"Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In"
by Roger Fisher, Bruce M. Patton, William L. Ury

"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 negotiating method whilst simple in nature are comprehensive and effective. This is one of the first books on negotiating to break away from the "hard v's soft" negotiating paradigm by introducing "principled" negotiating - ie. negotiating on the basis of both party's needs, not positions. Fisher et al, also cover very well the "What if" situations where the other party maybe more powerful, uses dirty tricks or won't play the game.

This book should be essential reading for everyone who has to negotiate with someone else over reaching a decision - and isn't that all of us?

I had to listen to this for a class, pretty boring, said the same thing over and over. I guess I was waiting for something new and fresh, this was not it.

Fisher & Ury's book, Getting to Yes focuses on integrative bargaining and mutual gains bargaining--a positive correlation between goal attainment of the parties, wherein many people achieve their goals and objectives.

I read this book while in a graduate course in Bargaining and Negotiation, in the pursuit that I will work as an administrator in college student services. As college student personnel, we will be in negotiations, whether or not we think we will be. Often, encountering power and exhibiting it. In Getting to Yes, power is addressed and helps those in positions of leadership by leading from a point of collaboration. First, it offers tips on how to increase personal power--by first, setting out optimistically as you mentally prepare to negotiate. Second, by developing a good working relationship with those with whom you are bargaining gives power to both parties. Establishing good communication, listening to the other side, and showing that you have heard are all ways to increase mutual gains bargaining in Getting to Yes. Also important, having a better alternative and being positive about it as a solution can impact interests in bargaining and negotiation. As you move forward in an attempt to come to agreement, listening to and understanding others' interests bears relevant in achieving your best gain through bargaining and negotiation. It is common sense that clear, direct, thoughtful communication is the key to success (and personal empowerment, more than power) with integrative/mutual gains bargaining.

Just in speaking practically, in how this book will benefit us in our future career pursuits, we'll often be salaried positions, rarely in collective bargaining units, so our right to negotiate salary and benefits will be within our grasp. Getting to Yes focuses on empowering individuals to ask for what they are entitled to, and to bravely face negotiation situations, knowing that they can reach arbitrary decisions fairly and amicably while achieving maximum results and agreement for both parties. If the focus remains optimistically on creating the best alternative with the goal to seek closure in the negotiation, then both sides may get to the heart of each other's motivations to reach a settlement without force or wielding power plays. And as student affairs professionals, charged with budgetary restraints, of course, being aware of your limits and bottom line will help keep you measured in the negotiation process too.

In Getting to Yes, they talk about collaborative bargaining, but yet, there are those (often women) who cower to power and accept soft negotiated terms, for the sake of maintaining amicable relations but then may leave negotiations feeling embittered and powerless, Fisher & Ury set up their method in an accessible, replicable format that helps people get to yes feeling principled in their endeavor.

As it is inevitable that we will be in positions of leadership or management seeking negotiation, conflicts may emerge and we will want to present positive leadership attributes even as we are weathering conflict.

Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In This book certainly shows how to save face - showing how to accomlish an objective without giving in. It also is easy to read and an excellent start for the 'beginner' stepping into this area of reading, with a view to acting on the information provided. I recommend this as well as "Getting Past No" by the same author, for the beginner and the novice negotiator.

I was better off buying the book from the regualr store. The book cost me more due to S/H.

Despite the common perception, negotiation is not about winning, it's about coming up with a resolution which benefits both sides. In order to develop such an agreement you have to be willing to listen, and to understand the opposing side on both the personal and business levels. 'Getting to Yes' teaches us how to develop these skills. From personal issues, to tactics, to psychological tricks, to best alternative (BATNA) analysis, Roger Fisher covers a lot of ground in this classic. The book is short and to the point, and serves as a great launchpad for further research in the area.

I have purchased the unabridged audio versions to save time. Harvard developed principled negotiation which causes an unsurpassable system for negotiation. This is the book everyone should read if there's only one book in the world on negotiation! Nearly one hundred raving five star reviews from readers, lawyers, business people, professionals, students, teachers, and negotiators can't be wrong.

Reviewing a book 15 years after its publication might seem a bit pointless. But that depends on the book. In this case, we're talking about a book that has near cult status in the business community.

Over the past 15 years, this book has been referred to and revered in thousands--if not millions--of articles, seminars, college course, and training programs. In fact, as of the date of this review over 100 published books cite Getting to Yes.

If you're in business and haven't read this book, you are operating with less than full power. But the book has value well beyond the business world. If you've ever had a disagreement end in a way that left you or the other party feeling cheated or manipulated, that ending probably came about because you were either bargaining about position or confusing the people with the problem. Either strategy guarantees at least one loser. Unfortunately, most disagreements follow one or both of these losing strategies.

With discipline and practice, you can apply the knowledge in this book so that you:

* Preserve relationships without giving in (go along to get along).
* Can satisfy the interests of both parties.
* Ensure both parties are motivated to uphold their end of the bargain.
* Feel good about the agreement reached and the people who reached it.

The strategies have nothing to do with tricking other people or playing games. The strategies have everything to do with respecting other people and refusing to play games.

In the publishing world, "thud factor" is a major consideration. Many readers expect filler, in the form of anecdotes and stories (as if they want the author to assume they are too daft to understand assertions made directly in plain English). Getting to Yes is 200 pages long, with the last 50 pages or so being basically a review and a "Cliff Notes" of the first 150. So, you have the book followed by a summary of the book. What you don't have is 150 pages stretched to 300 pages with stories that a busy executive would rather skip.

The concise writing is a huge plus to many people, but some reviewers see it as a minus. So, you may also read reviews saying that other books are "better" because they are thicker.

I have two proposed solutions to that:

1. Read the first 150 pages of Getting to Yes twice. This will equal 300 pages.
2. Read the book, then practice it. Take 150 pages of notes regarding your experiences. You now have the stories and filler you wanted.

The authors wrote this book not to entertain, but to educate. It gets to the point. There is no obfuscation, meandering, or distraction. That same communication style is required in a negotiation. The occasional anecdote may be helpful, but to lead a negotiation to a successful conclusion you must focus on the real issues. That is what this book does. And that's why it's a classic in the classroom and in the boardroom, and in executive suites and staterooms throughout the world.

Be sure to read Getting Past No and The Power of a Positive No, as well.

Whatever you do in life this book should be your second bible! It is a short easy read, and will help you deal with every person-to-person interaction in your life. That includes your family life, your social life, and your working life. I am a professional negotiator who has read many other books (some very good and some not so good), and also walked-the-walk in real-life. I keep a copy of this on my night table and still glance through it regularly.

This is an excellent book on negotiation -- for beginners and professionals alike. The book covers a number of important negotiating principles and highlights the interesting perspective of the authors that the more each side of a negotiation knows about the principles covered in the book, the better the negotiation process and outcome are likely to be.

I recommend this book to all readers.

I originally read this for a class in Negotiation Skills, but I have since found it useful in many aspects of life. It is a quick read, but it is a book that you earmark, highlight, annotate, and return to many times. The case studies are perfectly chosen, the layout is logical, and the writing is simple but not dull.

Getting to Yes introduces the art of negotiation to those who have never had to think about it. It contains a philosophy that is wise and practical. It reveals the tactics that your opponent may use and how to disarm them. It also provides several strategies for preparing for, engaging in, and closing negotiations.

The ideas in this book can be used to buy a car, or to sell a car. They could be used by a State Department official negotiating a peace agreement, or a married couple negotiating who does which chores. I would find it useful in a job interview or a contract negotiation. This is a book to re-read, to reference, and to recommend to others.

I found this book very useful in how to understand that interests of parties involved in a dispute can be resolved using the art of negotiation rather than digging one's heels into taking a position on the subject. Excellent resource here.

This book is recommended reading for a Negotiation Course I took some time ago and was developed by members of the Harvard Negotiation Project. It provides the fundamentals of negotiation tactics and techniques that can be used in almost any situation.

Whether you are a parent with trouble convincing your children to do things, or you're buying a house or a car, this is an excellent book for learning how to effectively deal with others.

The book covers topics such as inventing options that will benefit both parties, or focusing on your interests and not your positions and understanding the importance of controlling emotions.

This book doesn't cover more advanced techniques and doesn't signiifcantly touch upon the various cultural aspects of negotiation, but it is an excellent introduction and a valuable addition to any library.

This book is recommended reading for a Negotiation Course I took some time ago and was developed by members of the Harvard Negotiation Project. It provides the fundamentals of negotiation tactics and techniques that can be used in almost any situation.

Whether you are a parent with trouble convincing your children to do things, or you're buying a house or a car, this is an excellent book for learning how to effectively deal with others.

The book covers topics such as inventing options that will benefit both parties, or focusing on your interests and not your positions and understanding the importance of controlling emotions.

This book doesn't cover more advanced techniques and doesn't signiifcantly touch upon the various cultural aspects of negotiation, but it is an excellent introduction and a valuable addition to any library.

Im most circumstances in life, there are issues they demand negotition and the players involved settle those disputes based on how thye are able to navigate the deal making. This book goes thru all of those machinations and specifics.

Im most circumstances in life, there are issues they demand negotition and the players involved settle those disputes based on how thye are able to navigate the deal making. This book goes thru all of those machinations and specifics.

Clearly this is a top notch book well worthwhile to be read by professional negotiators and also by the rest of us. It has a clear style. It is a short, entertaining and fast read, maybe a bit theoretical.

The basic idea of this book is to find win-win scenarios that give both sides of the negations more than without a Harvard negotiation. Do not leave value on the table.

Arguments against this method are dealt with in the last chapter. The authors always win (at least in this book).

I can recommend "Getting to Yes" to everyone living in our world.

Clearly this is a top notch book well worthwhile to be read by professional negotiators and also by the rest of us. It has a clear style. It is a short, entertaining and fast read, maybe a bit theoretical.

The basic idea of this book is to find win-win scenarios that give both sides of the negations more than without a Harvard negotiation. Do not leave value on the table.

Arguments against this method are dealt with in the last chapter. The authors always win (at least in this book).

I can recommend "Getting to Yes" to everyone living in our world.

I received this book 2 days after I place my order. The person was pretty fast because school had already started and I needed the bood asap.

I received this book 2 days after I place my order. The person was pretty fast because school had already started and I needed the bood asap.

I read this book this weekend. Although I agree with a previous reviewer who commented that the author could have written the book using fewer words, I still found it easy to read. The suggestions offered make sense. As the author points out, most of them are "common sense" ideas we'd have anyway, but the book helps lay them out in a logical way. I did get the impression toward the end that the author was trying to fill space by repeating previously-discussed suggestions. Then again, repetition is the key to learning, so maybe that was his intent :-).

One thing I liked about the writing style used in this book is that there were examples illustrating the major points, but they were kept simple. I've read other books where just understanding the details of the examples was an exercise in and of itself. The simple and to-the-point examples really helped make this book easy to read and understand quickly.

I'd recommend the book to others looking for advice on negotiating.

I read this book this weekend. Although I agree with a previous reviewer who commented that the author could have written the book using fewer words, I still found it easy to read. The suggestions offered make sense. As the author points out, most of them are "common sense" ideas we'd have anyway, but the book helps lay them out in a logical way. I did get the impression toward the end that the author was trying to fill space by repeating previously-discussed suggestions. Then again, repetition is the key to learning, so maybe that was his intent :-).

One thing I liked about the writing style used in this book is that there were examples illustrating the major points, but they were kept simple. I've read other books where just understanding the details of the examples was an exercise in and of itself. The simple and to-the-point examples really helped make this book easy to read and understand quickly.

I'd recommend the book to others looking for advice on negotiating.

I have not read any books on negotiation before this so when a friend of mine recommended that I pick this book up to refine my negotiation skills, I wasted no time. First of all the writers are from a group (Harvard Negotiation Project) that deals continually with all levels of negotiation and conflict negotiation. The Harvard Negotiation Project is part of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, a consortium of scholars and projects from Harvard, MIT, Simmos, and Tufts working to improve the theory and practice of conflict resolution. If that is not credible enough, I don't know what is.

If you are looking for out-of-this-world-strategies in here, I will have to burst your bubble. There won't be anything in this book which you do not already know at some level of your experience. What these guys have done is to organize common sense and common experience in a way that provides a usable framework for thinking and acting. Reading this book was half the battle, learning from doing is the other half. I can feel that I am now a little calmer and way more confident when I am negotiating so yes, it definitely helped me. The text is often deep and many paragraphs require a re-read, that's because I really wanted the material to sink in. I have decided I will re-read this book in a month or two, so this one gets 4 stars.

The best book to date that I have read on the subject of negotiating!

The negotiotion process could be much more efficient between opposing sides than it is today. The more people that read this book and apply the concepts, the better the decision making, and the better outcomes for both sides

Excellent book. I highly recommend it. Getting to Yes gets to the point. It is thorough but doesn't waste words. It is an essential tool for understanding the myriad situations we all find ourselves in at our work and in our everyday lives. The authors simplify the tools but also address the complexities and all the reality questions that come to mind, such what if they..... Excellent book. I highly recommend it whether you ever engage in formal negotiations or not.

This book is a great addition to your list of "must-reads" if you find yourself needing to lead people/integrate the work of many separate groups towards a common goal who have many individualized agendas, territorial resistance, and/or fear of change, however share/want the same end result. You will finish this in a short period of time but will end up bookmarking certain pages with key ideas/concepts to go back to them later

This book is a great addition to your list of "must-reads" if you find yourself needing to lead people/integrate the work of many separate groups towards a common goal who have many individualized agendas, territorial resistance, and/or fear of change, however share/want the same end result. You will finish this in a short period of time but will end up bookmarking certain pages with key ideas/concepts to go back to them later

actually ended up being a quick and practical read!

actually ended up being a quick and practical read!

This book is one that everyone has read -- or should read.

You will learn from it. You will enjoy it. You will go back and re-read it over and over.

I have read this book and think that it contains a wealth of information on negotiating. It does a great job of breaking the process into sequential steps and putting them together, often framing things in a manner that I, as a very inexperienced negotiator, found easy to follow.

On the other hand, there are some areas where the book could improve. First, as a number of people have noticed, more effective use of examples would be helpful. For example, it would have been nice to have some very simple things from daily life to make the book more pratical.

Second, the book, in my opinion, doesn't integrate or explain human psychology enough to the material; it is clear that the research is based on it, however, without inferring some of the details (or self-research). I more emphasis on this aspect would strengthen the material and make it easier to apply, as it is a lot to remember.

In conclusion, it is definately a great book in my opinion, especially for lay persons like myself. To really apply the material, however, requires someone who will make a concious effort learn and use the steps the book provides, which the authors cannot control for. Finally, readers should realise that this book is no panceau--it only offers a set of tools--so don't expect to become a great--or even good--negotiator just by reading it. A great negotiator, at least one who isn't naturally one, needs to work hard and go beyond the text of one book. He or she needs to understand human psychology, understand the types of negotiation the processes that underlie them, and must be willing to put in the effort to try and an implement these tools.

I have read this book and think that it contains a wealth of information on negotiating. It does a great job of breaking the process into sequential steps and putting them together, often framing things in a manner that I, as a very inexperienced negotiator, found easy to follow.

On the other hand, there are some areas where the book could improve. First, as a number of people have noticed, more effective use of examples would be helpful. For example, it would have been nice to have some very simple things from daily life to make the book more pratical.

Second, the book, in my opinion, doesn't integrate or explain human psychology enough to the material; it is clear that the research is based on it, however, without inferring some of the details (or self-research). I more emphasis on this aspect would strengthen the material and make it easier to apply, as it is a lot to remember.

In conclusion, it is definately a great book in my opinion, especially for lay persons like myself. To really apply the material, however, requires someone who will make a concious effort learn and use the steps the book provides, which the authors cannot control for. Finally, readers should realise that this book is no panceau--it only offers a set of tools--so don't expect to become a great--or even good--negotiator just by reading it. A great negotiator, at least one who isn't naturally one, needs to work hard and go beyond the text of one book. He or she needs to understand human psychology, understand the types of negotiation the processes that underlie them, and must be willing to put in the effort to try and an implement these tools.

There is a lot of useful information in this book. There are plenty of words in this book that add no value. It was almost as if the authors were trying to fill space. I had only wished that they had filled the space with more practical examples and some more detail about technique. With all of that said, it is still a very good introductory book on this subject.

This book was definitely helpful, since I work in the purchasing professional. In the profession you have to know when to be aggressive and when to back off shaded deals. This book read broaden my perspective when it comes to getting my organization the best deal for a reasonable price. Just recently I had to negotiate a bid for a couple million and some of the book points definitely kept me on the look out. In addition, the read made me aware of other points like; body languages. When in the past I never even consider observing what the seller was really telling me.

I definitely agreed with one of your other reviewers that quoted "
This 72-word paragraph is awkward. In reality, it is two run-on paragraphs. A better rewrite, using 43 words, could be:

"Any method of negotiation may be fairly judged by six criteria:
* Meets the legitimate interests of each side
* Resolves conflicting interests fairly
* Is durable
* Takes community interests into account.
* Is efficient.
* Improves the relationship between the parties."

The bullets points are easily defined and clear; where as the long complex paragraph makes it too wordy". In referencing to page 4, a fair deal for both parties are to come to a common place; a win - win both parties can live with in their decision. Before reading this book, I had just completed the "Foundation to Negotiation" and find that this book was right on the dime.

Few books stand up from the crowd when we talk about conflict and negotiation. This book does and it serves companies a great deal to make it a required reading for professionals. When I recommend this book to trainees in all my training seminars people think I am getting paid commission from the publisher :) hmmmmm may be I should. Combine this book with 48 laws of power and turn your engine of influence on. Add NLP on top of it and guarantee winning every reasonable deal.Conflict, Power and Influence is it !

Authors Roger Fisher, William L. Ury and Bruce M. Patton offer a seminal step-by-step guide to negotiating effectively. The authors use anecdotal examples to illustrate both positive and negative negotiating techniques. They believe that, with principled negotiation, both parties can reach an agreement in an amicable and efficient manner. Principled negotiation is based on the belief that when each side comes to understand the interests of the other, they can jointly create options that are mutually advantageous, resulting in a wise settlement. Since this is the second edition, the authors take the opportunity to answer ten common questions from readers of the first edition. If you become skeptical about these fairly rosy negotiation techniques as you read, the Q and A section is very useful. This classic text is easy to understand and you can implement its techniques immediately. We can't ask for more than that.

Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

First, a testimonial. When I was three-quarters of the way through, I had a whammy of a week. On Monday I negotiated in a job interview, Tuesday I negotiated with my landlady, and Wednesday I negotiated with my manager over new job routines (the cause of my activities on Monday). I found the methods, strategies, approaches and techniques in the book IMMEDIATELY helpful in these situations.

This is a helpful book, and groundbreaking. I say groundbreaking, because after the ground is broken, it needs to harrowed, hoed, watered, and planted. There is much work to do in this field.

The book is wisely divided into two halves. The first half (parts I and II) is negotiation with friendlies, the second half (III-V) is for adversaries and potential friendlies. In some way, it may be better to read the second half first, where you have the techniques that break ground for the "real" negotiation.

The content of this book is sound; however, there are deeper issues with prose and organization. I think the worst offender is this one paragraph:

"Any method of negotiation may be fairly judged by three criteria: It should produce a wise agreement if agreement is possible. It should be efficient. And it should improve or at least not damage the relationship between the parties. (A wise agreement can be defined as one that meets the legitimate interests of each side to the extent possible, resolves conflicting interests fairly, is durable, and takes community interests into account.)" (p. 4)

This 72-word paragraph is awkward. In reality, it is two run-on paragraphs. A better rewrite, using 43 words, could be:

"Any method of negotiation may be fairly judged by six criteria:
* Meets the legitimate interests of each side
* Resolves conflicting interests fairly
* Is durable
* Takes community interests into account.
* Is efficient.
* Improves the relationship between the parties."

The problem is that the phrase "wise agreement" is too big for a bullet point and too small to get the job done. Furthermore I dropped the qualifiers--it is understood that no agreement will be platonically perfect. "A living dog is better than a dead lion." (Ecclesiastes 9:4). Since discussion about wise agreements comes later on (83-85), the paragraph could also be rewritten with 39 words:

"Negotiations should be wise. This involves meeting the legitimate interests of each side, resolving interests fairly, being durable, and considering community interests. Additionally, it should be efficient and it should improve (or at least not damage) the parties' relationship."

Another drawback is repetition. Chapter 2 focuses on the people problem in negation, but in chapter 3, which deals with redefining interests, the authors say be hard on problem, soft on people. This material was already covered in the previous chapter, and is redundant.

I don't think this is an editorial problem. Rather, it is one of conceptualization. I think it would be helpful to have a theoretician, logician, or a philosopher to go over the book, with the objective of reconstructing the book. The problem is in organizing the parts into a coherent whole. Right now, it is a semi-coherent hole.

this book was boring at first but the real meat is close to the end. I think this book not only be used on business but also with friends. I've tried using it to talk w/ people and it works. A good read and good asset!

Look behind their position on the problem at hand, address it. "why are you... Why do you feel a need to... What exactly are..." Don't defend, invite criticism abd advice. Ask what's wrong with... What concerns them. Recast personal attacks as an attack on the problem. What can we do now to reach an agreement as quickly as possible? Ask questions and pause. Use questions instead of statements. Statements generate resistance. Q's generate A's. Q's educate. SILENCE IS A GREAT WEAPON. Use it! If unreasonable propsal or an attack- the BEST THING is to sit and not say a thing. If Q'ed wait to answer people are uncomfortable in silence or ask for clarification, then wait. When you ask Q. pause. Silence is the best negotiating.