Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In Paperback – May 3, 2011

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.

Great read

I had to buy it for my school

I had to read this book (along with Getting Past No) for my mediation class/certification (side note: mediation is NOT negotiation, but the two overlap in many areas). I absolutely hate reading so I bought the paperback and also the Audible version. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! I will reread and commit to memory the notes I took from this book--it is truly that helpful and educational!Pros:It definitely opened my eyes and made me see how/where/when I make errors when negotiating--even in my everyday life. It is an easy read and I got through the book within 4-5 hours on 1.3x speed on Audible. I feel like I highlighted something on every page...there is a ton of useful information! Not only do the authors define a certain topic/term, give examples, and identify where and when it may apply, but they also give solutions or how to counteract these actions (especially in Chapter 8 "What If They Use Dirty Tricks?"). As I read through/listened to the book, I thought about so many applicable situations in the past and present.Cons:Lots of examples were political/governmental/war-related. I think the examples are relevant because they show how even people in power (i.e., Presidents, etc) can mess up a negotiation because of xyz, but I kinda wanted to zone out during those examples. Just not my thing.

*Getting to Yes* is the book you should've read five years ago. Whether you're asking for a raise, working on a business deal, or dealing with your landlord, if you're looking for more sophistication and success in your negotiation strategies than "start high", this is the book for you.*Getting to Yes* is a complete framework for "principled negotiation"–two or more parties working together to best address their mutual interests with creative, objectively fair solutions. If you're unfamiliar with principled negotiation, it's the complete opposite of our conventional image of negotiation: two hard-heads pitted against one another in a battle of will and wit.This book is not about mind-bending or psychological tricks–rather. Rather, it is a systematic process to ensure you make the most out of negotiation while achieving a durable outcome, beginning with how to know whether to negotiate at all and what to consider a positive outcome.This book is definitely worth a quick review/re-read before any major negotiation. Below is my short field manual for reference.Planning:* Before starting out, develop a BATNA and trip wire so you know exactly what you are trying to get out of negotiation and when it's no longer worth the time. Remember that the reason you negotiate is to produce something better than the results you can obtain without negotiating.* Start listing out (guessing is ok) what the interests of each side are* Brainstorm and list out any negative perceptions the other side has about you, and think of ways to counter these perceptions by acting in ways that are inconsistent with them* Make note of conflicting interests and brainstorm potential objective criteria for resolving themNegotiating:* Clearly identify and list out both side's interests (use a whiteboard) and then focus on a nonjudgmental brainstorming session to come up with ways to address various interests* During negotiation, always respond to positions and demands by asking for the principled justification (eg. how did you determine that?)* Continue to extract interests from positions and list them* Sit side by side facing the problem to reinforce as a team-based problem solving activity* Do not back down from your interests. Don't be glued to any positions, but stay hard on your interests and insist they be addressed objectively.* Don't fall for the "let's all agree and put an end to this" bandwagon.* Don't forget about your BATNA and trip wire. Know when to end negotiation.