Jim Camp opens Start With NO by directly challenging what had become dominant negotiation philosophy — the "win-win" approach popularized by frameworks like Getting to Yes — arguing this compromise-seeking philosophy frequently produces unfavorable outcomes for negotiators who adopt it too readily.

Camp's core critique of win-win philosophy:

• Camp argues that seeking a quick "yes" and mutual satisfaction can lead negotiators to make unnecessary concessions driven by discomfort with conflict or eagerness to close a deal, rather than sound, disciplined judgment about genuine interests
• He characterizes conventional compromise-seeking negotiation as frequently producing outcomes that satisfy neither party's genuine underlying interests, instead settling for a superficially agreeable middle ground reached primarily to escape the discomfort of ongoing negotiation
• Camp positions his alternative approach as more genuinely serving both parties' long-term interests, even though it may initially feel more confrontational or slower than conventional "win-win" approaches

This direct challenge to established negotiation orthodoxy sets up the book's core alternative framework, built around deliberately encouraging "no" responses rather than rushing toward agreement.