View source for Getting to Yes

A classic example from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_to_YES Getting to Yes], a book that is based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project.

From:  [http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rtanter/getting.html http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rtanter/getting.html]

Consider the story of two men quarreling in a library.  One wants the window open and the other wants it closed.  They bicker back and forth about how much to leave it open: a crack, halfway, three quarters of the way.  No solution satisfies them both.  Enter the librarian.  She asks why he wants the window open:  To get fresh air.  She asks the other why he wants it closed: To avoid the draft.  After thinking a minute, she opens wide a window in the next room, bringing in fresh air without a draft.

While the parties concentrated on their positions they could not come to a satisfactory solution.  When the librarian concentrated on the parties interests and not positions, she was able to offer a much more acceptable solution.