Negotiation In Getting Past No By William Ury

“In sailing, you rarely if ever get to your destination by heading straight for it. In between you and your goal are strong winds and tides, reefs and shoals, not to speak of storms and squalls. To get where you want to go, you need to tack – to zigzag your way toward your destination. The same is true in the world of negotiation.” -William Ury

The book Getting Past No by William Ury starts with an overview of negotiation and the reality of amateur negotiating which almost always end with the dreaded No. It also discusses the importance of negotiation and its impact in our daily lives. Truly, one cannot start and end the day with no negotiating taking place, from the kind of meal we partake to trying to haggle with the parents for a later sleeping time. As Ury states, negotiation is the process of back-and-forth

Alternatives. This is where Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) comes in. As Ury states, it is the best course of action for satisfying your interests without the other’s agreement. The more viable your alternative is, the more leverage you have over the other party, and the more power you have in the negotiation. In order to fully utilize the advantage of BATNA, you should be able to consider three kinds of alternatives. The first one is the “walkaway” alternative—what can you do all by yourself to pursue your interests? If you do not like your job, you may find another job. Second, what can you do directly to the other side to make them respect your interest? This is the “interactive” alternative. A popular example would be a hunger strike. The last one is the “Third-party” alternative—the how can you ring a third party into the situation to further your interests? An example would be to go to mediation. After identifying these three, the next logical step is to choose which is the best one to satisfy your interests. Ury emphasizes to keep your BATNA hidden, your safety option. In case of emergency, at least you still have an