Getting Past No
by William Ury · 1991
Ury's sequel: how to negotiate with the resistant, hostile, and unreasonable.
Worth reading? Getting Past No is the negotiation-for-hostiles manual: don't react, reframe, build a golden bridge, let them save face. A natural follow-on to Getting to Yes. Skip it if you rarely face hardball.
| Author | William Ury |
|---|---|
| Published | 1991 |
| Category | Business & Money |
| Favorite quote | “Go to the balcony.” |
The Verdict
Getting Past No is the negotiation-for-hostiles manual: don’t react, reframe, build a golden bridge, let them save face. A natural follow-on to Getting to Yes. Skip it if you rarely face hardball.
anyone who hits a wall with difficult counterparts
you only negotiate with friendly, rational parties
Book Summary
Ury's sequel: how to negotiate with the resistant, hostile, and unreasonable. It earns its place by giving you a clear lens you can apply, not just inspiration. Don't react; go to the balcony and stay calm. Step to their side to defuse resistance. The practical move is to read it once, then act on the one idea that maps to your current bottleneck, rereading the whole thing rarely adds more than executing the part you skipped.
Top 5 Lessons from Getting Past No
- Don't react; go to the balcony and stay calm.
- Step to their side to defuse resistance.
- Reframe the issue as a shared problem.
- Build a golden bridge so they can say yes.
- Let them save face to close the deal.
Top 2 Quotes from Getting Past No
"Go to the balcony."
William Ury, Getting Past No
"Don't push; invite them to step to your side."
William Ury, Getting Past No
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Getting Past No worth reading?
Yes, if the description fits you, anyone who hits a wall with difficult counterparts. Skip it if you only negotiate with friendly, rational parties.
What is the main idea of Getting Past No?
Getting Past No is the negotiation-for-hostiles manual: don't react, reframe, build a golden bridge, let them save face.
Who should read Getting Past No?
Anyone who hits a wall with difficult counterparts. Skip it if you only negotiate with friendly, rational parties.
What will you get out of Getting Past No?
A clearer, opinionated take you can act on, plus the sharpest lessons pulled into a short list so you don't have to read the whole book to decide.
Ready to read it?
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