Where to Start with Roger Fisher and William Ury
Roger Fisher (1922-2012) was the Samuel Williston Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and the director of the Harvard Negotiation Project. William Ury is a cofounder of the Harvard Negotiation Project and one of the world’s leading negotiation experts. Together they wrote “Getting to Yes” (1981), a book that has sold over five million copies and fundamentally changed how negotiation is taught and practiced around the world. Fisher brought decades of experience in international conflict resolution, while Ury has worked as a mediator in conflicts ranging from corporate boardrooms to the Middle East. Their principled negotiation method, which focuses on interests rather than positions, became the standard framework taught in law schools, business programs, and diplomatic training worldwide.
Start here
Getting to Yes
Roger Fisher, William Ury, Bruce Patton · 204 pages · 1981 · Easy
Themes: principled negotiation, BATNA, interests vs positions, mutual gains, conflict resolution
The foundational text on principled negotiation, developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project. Fisher and Ury introduced a method that rejects positional bargaining in favor of focusing on underlying interests, and it has become the default framework taught in law schools, business programs, and diplomatic training worldwide.
Why Start Here
“Getting to Yes” is the book that defined modern negotiation theory. Its four principles (separate the people from the problem, focus on interests not positions, invent options for mutual gain, insist on objective criteria) form a complete system for handling any negotiation without resorting to threats or tricks. The concept of BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) has become so widely used that most negotiators take it for granted, forgetting that it originated here.
This is the essential first book from Fisher and Ury because it contains the complete framework. Ury’s later books (“Getting Past No,” “The Power of a Positive No,” “Getting to Yes with Yourself”) all build on the foundation laid here.
What to Expect
A concise 204-page book that reads quickly. The writing is clear and practical, with examples from international diplomacy, labor disputes, and everyday life. Originally published in 1981, it has been updated twice, with the current third edition dating from 2011.
Alternatives
William Ury · 208 pages · 1991 · Easy
William Ury’s solo follow-up to “Getting to Yes” that addresses the tougher question: what do you do when the other side will not cooperate? While “Getting to Yes” assumes both parties are willing to negotiate in good faith, “Getting Past No” provides a five-step strategy for situations where they are not.
Why This One
This is Ury’s most practical book for dealing with resistance and hostility. The five-step breakthrough strategy (go to the balcony, step to their side, reframe, build a golden bridge, use power to educate) gives you a sequence for transforming adversaries into partners. Each step builds on the previous one, creating a pathway from confrontation to cooperation.
The “go to the balcony” technique, stepping back mentally to observe the situation rather than reacting to it, has become one of the most widely cited concepts in negotiation. Ury’s ability to explain complex dynamics through memorable metaphors is on full display here.
What to Expect
A concise 208-page book that moves fast and stays practical. Ury draws on examples from international diplomacy, corporate battles, and everyday disputes. The writing is clear, the advice is specific, and the book can be read in a few hours. For readers already familiar with “Getting to Yes,” this is the natural next step.