721 Master Negotiator William Ury — Proven Strategies and Amazing Stories from Warren Buffett, Nelson Mandela, Kim Jong Un, Hugo Chávez, and More
This is a OPEN AI summary of the Tim Ferriss Podcast #721- visit www.TinyTim.blog for more AI summaries, or www.Tim.blog for the official Tim Ferriss Podcasts
Tim Ferriss and William Ury discuss their connection and how they first met at Harvard. Ury was a graduate student studying anthropology and reached out to Roger Fisher, who was working on peace negotiations. Fisher was impressed by Ury's paper and invited him to work with him. This led to Ury's involvement in the Devising Seminar, where he helped coordinate and facilitate discussions on practical solutions for international negotiations. This experience changed Ury's life and sparked his interest in negotiation and conflict resolution.
William Ury and Roger Fisher were motivated to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, rather than resorting to violence. They created the Devising Seminar to brainstorm practical steps for resolving conflicts, and their ideas were put into action when Cy Vance used their one-text process during the Camp David peace summit between Egypt and Israel. This approach allowed for progress to be made and ultimately led to a successful resolution.
The Camp David Peace Treaty between Egypt and Israel was achieved through the use of a one-text proposal, which went through 23 drafts in 13 days. This approach allowed for both sides to criticize and improve the proposal, leading to a successful resolution. The treaty has lasted over 40 years and is an example of applying creative negotiation strategies to complex conflicts.
The power of understanding underlying interests in negotiations and the importance of considering external judgment. The concept of writing the other side's victory speech to help find a mutually beneficial solution. An example of using this technique in the context of avoiding a potential nuclear crisis between the US and North Korea during Trump's presidency.
William Ury, a negotiation expert, shares the story of how he helped prevent nuclear war by understanding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's dreams and interests. He reached out to retired basketball player Dennis Rodman, who had a personal relationship with Kim, to gain insight into his motivations. This ultimately led to a successful negotiation between Kim and President Donald Trump.
William Ury, an expert in conflict resolution, talks about the power of meeting and changing the atmosphere in tense situations. He believes that while there may not be a solution to the Middle East conflict, there could be a beginning of a different way of living together. He suggests reframing the question as "how can Israelis and Palestinians live together?" and points to examples of successful transformation in other seemingly impossible conflicts. The key elements for this transformation include the right leaders and going beyond surface positions to understand underlying interests and concerns.
Nelson Mandela, a former boxer known for his quick reactions, spent 27 years in prison where he focused on self-mastery through meditation and controlling his reactivity. He studied the language and history of his enemies and upon his release, worked towards building a bridge and mobilizing the community to transform the conflict in South Africa. This approach, known as going to the balcony, has been effective in other conflicts such as Northern Ireland and Colombia. It is based on innate human potentials for self-mastery and can deescalate emotions in negotiations.
William Ury discusses the importance of taking a moment to pause and reflect before reacting in a heated negotiation or conflict. He uses the metaphor of going to a balcony and seeing the bigger picture to help keep emotions in check. Other techniques he suggests include setting joint rules, taking frequent breaks, and changing one's state before entering a difficult negotiation. He shares a personal experience of staying calm in the face of aggression from the president of Venezuela.
In a difficult situation with the president of Venezuela, William Ury remembered a technique of pinching his palm to stay calm and not react. By remaining silent and observing the president, he was able to diffuse the situation and come up with a creative solution. Ury believes in the power of silence in negotiations and shares stories of its effectiveness.
Silence is a powerful tool in negotiations as it allows the other side to think and digest information, leading to mutually beneficial outcomes. The use of objective measures and data can also help to prevent escalation and facilitate negotiation. Expressing respect is an important aspect of negotiation, and it can be achieved by deferring to persuasive objective standards rather than engaging in a contest of wills.
William Ury discusses the importance of showing respect in negotiations, as it is a basic human right and can lead to successful outcomes. This can be done through listening, learning a few words of the other side's language, and understanding their perspectives. In one example, Ury helped deescalate a crisis by discussing ways to show respect and reduce feelings of disrespect.
Tim Ferriss and William Ury discuss the importance of having a BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement) in any situation, using examples such as job interviews and business negotiations. They emphasize the value of considering potential failures and having a backup plan, which can increase confidence and lead to better outcomes. Ury shares a real-world example of using BATNA to resolve a long-standing battle between business partners.
A man named Abelio reveals that freedom is his ultimate desire, which has a deep meaning for him due to past experiences. He realizes that he can still achieve his interests of spending time with family and making deals without settling a conflict with a business rival. This realization gives him confidence and allows him to relax, ultimately leading to a successful deal in the end.
A French banker asked why the speaker was involved in a two and a half year dispute. The speaker replied that life is too short for conflicts where everyone loses, and suggested reframing the situation to help both parties find freedom and dignity. The banker agreed and they came up with a solution in 45 minutes. Both parties signed an agreement and ended the dispute within days. The speaker's friend who brought him in was happy with the outcome.
In an interview with Tim Ferriss, negotiation expert William Ury discusses the importance of trust in successful negotiations. He shares a story about a successful negotiation between Warren Buffett and his partner, and explains the concept of a "trust menu" for building trust in situations where there is initial distrust. Ury also shares an example of using a trust menu to facilitate communication between opposing sides in a political conflict.
The speaker discusses the use of signals and prearranged actions to rebuild trust and confidence in a relationship. They then mention an interview with Warren Buffett where he reveals the importance of saying no in his success. The speaker goes on to discuss their own approach to saying no and how they learned to think about it, ultimately developing a technique called the "positive no" which starts with a yes and is used to say no to something in order to say yes to a deeper interest or strategy.
Saying no can be difficult, but it's important to do so in a calm and matter-of-fact manner. It's helpful to start with a positive yes, then explain why you can't fulfill the request, and end with another yes, such as wishing the person success. It's important to not take the no personally and to maintain a positive relationship with the person. It's also important to be careful when leaving the door open for future possibilities.
William Ury discusses his new book, "Possible," which offers strategies for resolving conflicts in today's world. The idea for the book came from a challenge posed by Jim Collins to sum up everything Ury has learned about negotiation in one sentence. The resulting sentence is "Go to the balcony, build a golden bridge, and make it easy for the other." This approach emphasizes the importance of self-mastery and understanding the other side in order to reach a resolution.
Negotiation expert William Ury discusses the importance of building a "golden bridge" in negotiations, which involves listening, being creative, and understanding the other party's desires and fears. He also emphasizes the power of the "third side" in conflicts, which involves considering the impact on the surrounding community. Tim Ferriss asks about using creativity in negotiations and in personal decision-making. Ury explains that tapping into our creativity is key to finding mutually beneficial solutions and maximizing potential gains. He also discusses the importance of separating the cognitive process of inventing from evaluating in order to generate innovative ideas.
In this interview, William Ury discusses his approach to negotiation, which involves finding creative solutions and removing numbers from the equation. He also talks about his self-care routines, including walking and hiking, which help him stay fit and come up with ideas for his books.
William Ury, a negotiation expert, discusses how walking is his foundation for creativity and peace. He walks for an hour and a half to three hours a day, and even has a long-term project to create a walking trail through the Middle East. Walking has been integral to human evolution and can also be helpful in negotiations, as it allows people to talk side by side and uncover underlying interests.
The speaker, William Ury, shares a story about how uncovering interests rather than just positions can lead to successful negotiations. He gives an example of a separatist group in Indonesia who had been fighting for independence for 25 years, but when asked about their interests, they struggled to answer. This led to a conversation where they were able to find a solution that met their interests without giving up their ultimate aspiration. Ury emphasizes the importance of always digging behind positions in negotiations to truly understand and advance one's interests.
William Ury discusses his book "Possible: How We Survive (And Thrive) in an Age of Conflict" and his dream for a worldwide league of "possiblists" who use their human potential for curiosity, creativity, and collaboration to transform conflicts and improve their lives and the world. He also talks about the importance of looking beyond positions to understand underlying interests in negotiations. Tim Ferriss praises Ury's work and encourages listeners to take his advice seriously.
William Ury, author and mediator, discusses the power of separating what we can control from what we cannot and being open-minded and creative in finding solutions to conflicts. He encourages listeners to apply this mindset to their own conflicts and believes that by doing so, we can tap into our innate superpowers of self-mastery and collaboration to create a better world.
https://tim.blog/2024/02/13/william-ury/
