Negotiating in English

“That you may be strong, be a craftsman in speech,

for the strength of one is the tongue,

and the speech of one is mightier than all fighting.”  

(Ptahhotep, ~3000 B.C.)

Target Audience:

Non-native English speakers that need to negotiate professionally in English.
Recommended Level of English: B2

Objectives:

Successful negotiations call for more than a translation of goals and objectives into the English language. By using English non-native speakers also enter a different culture with different standards of communication and negotiation (e.g. politeness, importance of small talk etc.). The seminar does not only provide students with useful vocabulary, idioms, phrases and grammar but also with insight into cultural differences and proper negotiation styles.

Seminar Contents (2 days):

• Planning and Preparing Negotiations – e.g. Becoming aware of the best possible outcome and your BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement).
• Cultural Awareness – Cultural differences in negotiations: Low and high context communication styles, implications, reading between the lines.
• Beginning of a Negotiation – Creating a good atmosphere, socializing and bonding
• Harvard Principles of Negotiation – Hard on the issue and soft on the person, prerequisites to reach win-win solutions: separating people from problems, focussing on interests not positions, inventing options for mutual gain, developing objective criteria to take decisions.
  
• Strategies to Overcome Stalemate – Helpful statements
• Language Focus – Smart wording, essential vocabulary, useful phrases
• Grammar Focus – e.g: Conditionals – Talking about hypothetical and real situations
• Practise – Roleplay and simulations

As a lot of oral practice in negotiating will be included in this workshop, participants should bring in some suitable and job-relevant topics to use in role-plays.

Trainer: Steven Vitolianos (US Coach)

Number of participants: 1-6

Fee per Person: 980.- € (+ 19% VAT)