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2. Focus on interests, not positions.
Look beyond hard-and-fast positions to try to identify underlying interests—
basic needs, wants, and motivations.

3. Invent options for mutual gain.
Negotiators devote significant time to brainstorming a wide range of possible
options before choosing the best one.

4. Insist on using objective criteria.
It’s common in negotiation for parties to argue back and forth about whose
“facts” are correct. This type of argument is likely to end in either an impasse
or an inefficient compromise.

Language Focus

A. Opening (getting started) ▪ We expect some of that to be …
▪ Shall we start now? ▪ Our expectation is something in the
region of …
▪ I believe it’s time to commence the
▪ We would like to propose …
meeting.
▪ … will have to depend on …
▪ Today, we are here to discuss/ negotiate/
address …
D. Bargaining (stating objection)
▪ The goal of our meeting today is to … ▪ I understand where you're coming from;
▪ I appreciate the opportunity to discuss … however, ...
▪ Let’s begin by outlining the key points we ▪ I'm prepared to compromise, but...
need to cover. ▪ The way I look at it.../ The way I see
things...
▪ If you look at it from my point of view...
B. Clarifying Positions (justifying/ providing
▪ I'm afraid I had something different in
reasons) mind.
▪ We are very worried about … ▪ That's not exactly how I look at it.
▪ … would go some way towards … ▪ I'm afraid that doesn't work for me.
▪ So, we need to …. otherwise, …
▪ We have conducted research which E. Handling conflicts (insisting)
shows that …
▪ We have a global policy of … ▪ What we need is a strong guarantee of
…
▪ Our priority has got to be …
▪ We would have to insist that …
▪ I’m afraid this is not negotiable.
C. Making and responding to proposals ▪ I’m afraid this isn’t something we can
(stating demands) discuss.
▪ … would have to be … ▪ This cannot be part of our negotiations
▪ We’d have to expect a promise of … today.

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English for Executive Administrative Assistant