II. Look at the picture below. Do you think these people are good negotiators? Why?

Discussion

I. Read the joke. Is there a lesson to be learnt from it?

Two priests were so addicted to smoking that they desperately needed to puff on cigarettes even while they prayed. Both developed guilty conscience and decided to ask their superior for permission to smoke. The first asked if it was OK to smoke while he was praying. Permission was denied. The second priest asked if he was allowed to pray while he was smoking. His superior found his dedication admirable and immediately granted his request.

II. How direct you want to be in a negotiation is a matter of both cultural and personal choice. In which side on the line below would you place people from your own culture? How about you personally?

prefer the diplomatic approach ß--------------------|------------------à prefer straight-talking

III. Find someone in your group who put themselves on the other side of the line from you. Try to persuade each other that your side is better.

Active Vocabulary

I. The following thoughts passed through the minds of two negotiators during negotiations. Use the words and phrases in brackets to reproduce what they actually said.

1. That’s impossible.

(unfortunately/would not/possible)_______________________________________________

1. We can’t go higher than 7%.

(would find/quite difficult) _____________________

1. We won’t accept less than $5 a unit.

(afraid / not in the position / this stage)_________

1. You’ll have to pay more if you want that.

(may / lightly)_____________________________

1. We should spend more time looking for a compromise here.

(shouldn’t / little?)_________________________

1. It would be a good idea to agree on a price before we go any further.

(wouldn’t / be better?)______________________

1. We hoped you’d pay a deposit today.

(were hoping / able)________________________

1. It will be difficult to get my boss to agree to this.

(might not / very easy)______________________

1. That’s as far as we can go.

(think / about / the moment)__________________

II. What do the negotiators do to make their statements sound more diplomatically? Do you prefer straightforward or diplomatic versions?

III. The following expressions are all useful in negotiations, but some letters are missing from the words. When you have completed them, the letters in the box spell out some good advise for a negotiator.

Listening

I. Listen to the extracts from two different negotiations and tick off the expressions above as you hear them. Which two are not used?

II. Listen again and complete the following notes.

Lexical Exercises