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.

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 started a revolution in negotiation, both by stressing principled negotiation and in making the material accessible to a very wide audience. It is still a good read, is still taught in universities and continuing education, and is an excellent starting point for people who are new to negotiation but intend a deep study because of its historical significance and its content.However, having taught Getting to Yes and having used principled bargaining in practice, I think there are a few shortcomings that are dealt with in other books. While Fischer and Ury do make the point that principled bargaining includes sticking to your priciples and not being a pushover, it is not emphasized enough. I have even found myself being too cooperative after reviewing this text because the emphasis is on being cooperative. I think this is a partcular danger for new/lay negotiators, especially if this is the first text they're exposed to or they intend to practice these concepts in daily life. The tone of the book is just a bit too friendly. As a result, there has been a backlash (wrongly, in my opinion) against this text in some quarters.The verbal judo section at the end is excellent, giving techniques for dealing with unreasonable people that are great. I would've liked more of these very practical tips and examples to go along with them, but the book as a whole is already a lot to digest. Newer versions of GTY do add more material here.Newer texts take these problems into account. The best, in my opinion, is the follow-on by Ury, "Getting Past No." It can be read without having read "Getting to Yes," although it is very interesting as a follow-on, too. In it, Ury is clearly taking into account the criticism that GTY was too soft and he presents a more robust vision of principled bargaining.

Great book that I used during my masters degree! Quick read and well laid out.