Getting Past NO: Negotiating in Difficult Situations by William Ury (1991)

Ury presents a five-point plan for negotiating in the face of verbal attacks and hard-ball tactics: (1) Stay calm, don’t react to threats, and focus on your program; (2) listen to and understand the other side’s viewpoint; (3) put the focus on solving the problem by asking the other side what they want and need; (4) incorporate the other side’s ideas so they’re drawn to the advantages of your proposal; and (5) gently show them the drawbacks to their side if they walk away.

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen (1999)

A New York Times business bestseller, the book addresses the problems that arise when two sides disagree on the basic facts and believe their opponents to be morally wrong. Included are basic principles on how to dig past surface arguments to the real issues, become clear on what your main purpose is, and sidestep the blame game. The book includes 10 common questions and their answers.

Become An Idea Machine: Because Ideas Are The Currency Of The 21st Century by Claudia Azula Altucher (2014)

The book aims to teach a variation on brainstorming by which users can generate several useful solutions to any problem they can name.