Getting Past No

Getting Past No – William Ury

What do you do when the other side in a negotiation refuses to cooperate? When they stonewall, attack, deceive or simply say no? In Getting Past No: Negotiating in Difficult Situations, William Ury, cofounder of the Harvard Program on Negotiation and coauthor of the classic Getting to Yes, offers a practical strategy for turning adversaries into negotiating partners.

Ury presents a five-step method he calls breakthrough negotiation. The first step is to go to the balcony: rather than reacting emotionally, step back, keep your eyes on your goal and regain your composure. The second is to step to their side, disarming the other person by listening, acknowledging their point of view and agreeing where you can. The third is to reframe, redirecting attention from positions to interests by asking problem-solving questions. The fourth is to build a golden bridge, making it easy for the other side to say yes by involving them in crafting a solution and helping them save face. The fifth is to use power to educate, showing the other side the consequences of not agreeing while still leaving the door open to a deal.

Ury illustrates the method with examples from business, politics, family life and international diplomacy, drawing on his extensive experience as a mediator and negotiator in conflicts around the world.

Clear, concise and practical, the book has become a widely used companion to Getting to Yes, focused on the toughest negotiating situations.

Getting Past No is a valuable resource for managers, salespeople, lawyers, parents and anyone who must deal with difficult people and reach agreements under pressure.