The Postive No Story aired: Monday, March 12, 2007
From the people who brought us "Getting to Yes" -- we speak to professional negotiation William Ury about the his new book, "The Power of a Positive No: How to Say No and Still Get to Yes."
"No is maybe today's greatest challenge," says Ury. "In order to say "yes" to those things which are truely important to us we need to learn to say "no" in order to slow down a little bit."
Ury says when people say "no" they fall into the "Three A" trap. Accomodate, attack or avoid, which Ury sees as failing strategies. "We need to say "no" positively in order to defend what's right." Says Ury. But he adds you have to precede and follow the "no" with a "yes."
Ury points to the importance of staying on point in a negotiation, of staying away from fear and anger, and keeping the focus of the conversation on what's really important.
Guests:
William Ury, The Global Negotiation Project (Harvard University)
