Book

Getting Together: Building Relationships As We Negotiate

📖 Overview

Getting Together examines the role of relationships in successful negotiations and business dealings. Fisher presents strategies for building and maintaining productive working relationships while pursuing agreements and navigating conflicts. The book outlines specific techniques for understanding others' perspectives, managing emotions, and communicating effectively across cultural and organizational boundaries. Through case studies and examples, Fisher demonstrates how relationship-building principles can be applied to real-world negotiation scenarios. Core concepts include balancing rationality with emotion, developing mutual understanding, and creating frameworks for long-term cooperation between parties. The text provides tools for addressing common relationship challenges that arise during negotiations. This work expands beyond tactical negotiation advice to explore the fundamental human dynamics that drive successful business relationships and lasting agreements. Its principles connect interpersonal psychology with practical business outcomes.

👀 Reviews

Readers describe this as a practical guide for improving working relationships during negotiations. The book resonates with professionals who deal with difficult personalities and conflict resolution. Likes: - Clear examples and specific techniques - Focus on emotions and relationship dynamics - Useful for both business and personal situations - Actionable advice for handling disagreements - Complements Getting to Yes with relationship focus Dislikes: - Some concepts feel obvious or basic - Too much overlap with Getting to Yes - Examples can be oversimplified - Writing style is dry in parts - Short length for the price Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (167 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) Several readers noted it helped them understand the human side of negotiations. One reviewer called it "a missing manual for dealing with people." Multiple reviews mentioned the book works best as a companion to Getting to Yes rather than a standalone guide.

📚 Similar books

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson This book presents tools for handling high-stakes discussions and negotiations while maintaining relationships through specific dialogue techniques.

Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg The text outlines a communication framework for resolving conflicts through needs-based dialogue and empathetic listening.

Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen The authors break down the structure of challenging interpersonal discussions and provide methods for transforming them into productive exchanges.

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss A former FBI hostage negotiator shares tactical approaches to negotiation that focus on building rapport and understanding the other party's position.

The Power of a Positive No by William Ury This book presents a method for maintaining relationships while setting boundaries through assertive communication techniques.

🤔 Interesting facts

🔍 Roger Fisher also co-authored the groundbreaking bestseller "Getting to YES," which has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. ⚖️ During World War II, Fisher served as a weather reconnaissance pilot, an experience that later influenced his understanding of conflict resolution from multiple perspectives. 🎓 The book draws from Fisher's extensive work at the Harvard Negotiation Project, which he founded in 1979 to improve the theory and practice of conflict resolution. 🤝 The concepts in "Getting Together" have been applied in various historical negotiations, including Camp David peace talks between Egypt and Israel. 📚 While most negotiation books focus on strategy and tactics, "Getting Together" was revolutionary for emphasizing the importance of building and maintaining relationships during negotiations.