Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In

About

Getting to Yes is the foundational text on principled negotiation, developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project by Roger Fisher and William Ury. The book introduces the concept of interest-based negotiation, where parties focus on underlying interests rather than positional bargaining. Key frameworks include separating people from the problem, focusing on interests not positions, generating options for mutual gain, and insisting on objective criteria. For search fund entrepreneurs, who must negotiate with sellers, investors, lenders, and employees, the book provides essential tools for reaching agreements that satisfy all parties. Its emphasis on building long-term relationships while achieving favorable outcomes is particularly relevant to ETA deal-making.