Negotiation and conflict in English
The stages of a negotiation and their phrases, the key notions, principled negotiation, bargaining conditionals, the five Thomas-Kilmann modes and phrases for defusing tension.
- 27 cards
- 5 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Questions
- Sort and link
- Scenarios
- Understand
A few cards from the deck
BATNA: what is it?
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Best alternative to a negotiated agreement: the best course of action you can take if no deal is reached.
It sets your real power: the better your BATNA, the less you need to accept a bad offer. Know yours before negotiating, and guess the other side's.
Complete the hypothetical offer: "If you extended the deadline by a week, we ___ the extra feature."
- would deliver
- will deliver
- would have delivered
- delivers
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would deliver
With "extended" (simple past) in the if-clause, the main clause takes "would" + base verb: that is the second conditional. "Will deliver" mixes the two structures.
Fisher and Ury's four principles: separate the people from the problem, focus on … rather than positions, invent options for mutual gain and use … criteria.
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Fisher and Ury's four principles: separate the people from the problem, focus on interests rather than positions, invent options for mutual gain and use objective criteria.
Example: two people want the same orange (position); one wants the juice, the other the peel (interests). Seeing the interests lets each side get what it really wants.
Bottom line: what is it?
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A limit set before negotiating: the worst offer you will still accept, beyond which you turn the deal down.
It follows from the BATNA: you do not accept a deal worse than what you would get by walking away. The BATNA is what you will do with no deal; the bottom line is the threshold of the deal itself.
A client writes "This is unacceptable. We were promised delivery last week." Which reply defuses the tension?
- Actually, we never promised delivery last week, so there is no delay on our side.
- Please calm down: the delay is the carrier's fault and we can't do anything.
- I understand your frustration and I'm sorry. I'll check your order and reply today.
- Thank you for your message. We will answer it in due course when the team is free.
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I understand your frustration and I'm sorry. I'll check your order and reply today.
The client first wants to be heard, then a precise action. The right reply acknowledges the emotion, apologises and commits to a dated action. Contradicting, blaming someone else or promising vaguely irritates more.