Quotes About Negotiation

Making clear that there could be a negative outcome—and that you are willing to do whatever is necessary—can not only get the other person's attention but also, in some cases, increase respect for you. Being willing to fight hard for what you believe in often engenders admiration.

Warren had to decide whether to fight for his choice, and once he did, find a way to preserve his relationship while getting the desired result.

One of the authors, then a department head, found that this worked when a colleague was trying to manipulate and bully him (about office space); looking right at the colleague and loudly saying, "Don't mess with me, Jack. I teach negotiations!" made him back off. Jack was much nicer from then on, because he assumed his ploys wouldn't work.

We don't have to fully perceive or understand the underlying nature of our world to negotiate it well. Our senses and reasoning powers evolved as they did because they work just fine in the everyday, nonphilosophical business of survival. Mental constructs of reality are imperfect, but indispensable, ways to organize the otherwise bewildering phenomena of the world.

As soon as two or more people are together there is inevitably conflict, even if they like and respect each other. In order to resolve those conflicts there needs to be good will on both sides, and a willingness to give and take.

Peace: A period of cheating between two periods of fighting.

Peace in international affairs: a period of cheating between periods of fighting

War: A by-product of the arts of peace.

COMPROMISE, n. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due.

DIPLOMACY, n. The patriotic art of lying for one's country.

BATTLE, n. A method of untying with the teeth of a political knot that would not yield to the tongue.

GUNPOWDER, n. An agency employed by civilized nations for the settlement of disputes which might become troublesome if left unadjusted. By most writers the invention of gunpowder is ascribed to the Chinese, but not upon very convincing evidence. Milton says it was invented by the devil to dispel angels with, and this opinion seems to derive some support from the scarcity of angels.

INFLUENCE, n. In politics, a visionary quo given in exchange for a substantial quid.

CANNON, n. An instrument employed in the rectification of national boundaries.

PROJECTILE, n. The final arbiter in international disputes. Formerly these disputes were settled by physical contact of the disputants, with such simple arguments as the rudimentary logic of the times could supply—the sword, the spear, and so forth. With the growth of prudence in military affairs the projectile came more and more into favor, and is now held in high esteem by the most courageous. Its capital defect is that it requires personal attendance at the point of propulsion.

when merchants and traders begin to run wars – hundreds of lives depend on bribes.

War is but the pricking point of politics.

Smile, I said. You're not trying to sell him your teeth.

There can be no peace with the damn Vanstermen,

La forma de doblegar a una persona para que cumpla tu voluntad es ofrecerle lo que ella quiere, no obligarla a pronunciar un juramento.

Where do we find allies?' Father Yarvi smiled. 'Among our enemies, where else?

If this phrase the 'balance of power' is to always be an argument for war, the pretense for war will never be wanting, and peace can never be secure.

I went through baseball as 'a player to be named later.'

I was too old-fashioned male-chauv to allow that; we discussed for a minute and I wound up with the couch