Getting Together: Building Relationships as We Negotiate

Expanding on the principles, insights, and wisdom that made Getting to Yes a worldwide bestseller, Roger Fisher and Scott Brown offer a straightforward approach to creating relationships that can deal with difficulties as they arise. Getting Together takes you step-by-step through initiating, negotiating, and sustaining enduring relationships — in business, in government, between friends, and in the family.

Roger Fisher is the Samuel Williston Professor of Law Emeritus, Director of the Harvard Negotiation Project, and the founder of two consulting organizations devoted to strategic advice and negotiation training.

Scott Brown is a negotiation expert and father of four children. After helping to launch the Harvard Negotiation Project, he spent ten years teaching, writing, and speaking about managing conflict and established the nonprofit Conflict Management Group to advise governments and nongovernment organizations on public conflicts worldwide.

Introduction

I. An Overview

1. The Goal: A relationship that can deal well with differences

2. First Step: Disentangle relationship issues from substantive ones

3. A Strategy: Be Unconditionally contructive

II. Basic Elements of a Working Releationship

4. Rationality: Balance emotions with reason

5. Understanding: Learn how they see things

6. Communication: Always consult before deciding--and listen

7. Reliability: Be wholly trustworthy, but not wholly trusting

8. Persuation, Not Coercion: Negotiate side by side

9. Acceptance: Deal seriously with those with whom we differ

III. The Elements as Parts of a Whole

10. Congruence: Put it all together so that it fits

A Note on "tit-for-tat"

Analytical Table of Contents

Table of Charts

A Note on the Harvard Negotiation Project