Negotiations

Aphorisms, sayings and quotes

Negotiations take place everywhere every day. Often, the parties involved do not even realise this. It is not uncommon for negotiation processes to end before they have even begun for both negotiating partners. Very few negotiation processes are linguistically declared as such and therefore take place everywhere and between everyone.  

  • In Pedestrian zones The route is negotiated as to who walks how and who gives way to others;
  • in Families The children's bedtime (or that of their parents) is negotiated on a daily basis;
  • on the Workplaces is negotiated everywhere and always, who leads whom.

If it is true that all communication is an invitation to focus on certain aspects (and less on others), then not only is everything communication, which we cannot avoid in the presence of others, but all communication is also negotiation.

And yet negotiation skills are generally ascribed to professional occupational groups, but by no means as a daily resource for dialogue.

With this blog post from our series Quotes, sayings, aphorisms I would like to illustrate the everyday nature of negotiation processes.

Before my favourites for negotiations follow, I would like to thank Maria Költzsch, Sabine-Inken Schmidt, Andrea Näher-Zeiffer, Martina Naubert, Mladin Mechenbier, Sophie Löffler, Norbert Jung.

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General negotiation theory

1.

"The negotiation begins with a no."

(Jim Camp)

2.

"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never be afraid to negotiate."

(J.F. Kennedy)

3.

„Negotiation is not a sign of weakness, but of trust “ 

(R. Fisher)

4.

"For negotiations to progress, an environment in which there is a certain balance of power is required."

(Henry Kissinger, (*1923), politician)

5.

"Nothing is as important as it seems at the moment when you are intensively involved with it."

(Unknown)

6.

"I have learnt that you are never too small to make a difference."

(Greta Thunberg)

7.

"If you didn't squeeze like that, I wouldn't have to squeeze like that."

(K. Sprenger)

8.

"Never take responsibility for the other party's decisions. Never try to save the relationship."

(Unknown)

9.

„Never look down on someone unless you admire their shoes “

(Unknown)

10.

"The head is round so that thinking can change direction."

(Unknown)

Conflict negotiations

1.

"Negotiation is not the worst form of action."

(Will Rogers (1879-1935), americ. humourist)

2.

"If you negotiate, you not only have to convince the other side, but also your own audience."

(Shimon Peres, President of Israel)

3.

"It's nonsense to slam doors when you can leave them ajar."

(J. William Fulbright (1905-95), American politician. politician)

4.

"We cannot negotiate with those who say: what is mine is mine; and what is yours is a matter of negotiation."

(John F. Kennedy, 35th US President)

5.

"Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never be afraid to negotiate."

(John F. Kennedy, 35th US President)

6.

"The trick in negotiations was to hold all the cards right from the start, or at least to look as if you did."

(E. Colfer, 1965, Irish writer)

7.

"Take the time to find out what connects you to your negotiating partner."

(Unknown)

8.

"Better to spend 100 hours negotiating for nothing than one minute shooting."

(Helmut Schmidt (1918-2015), German politician)

9.

"A non-violent movement could not have stopped Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince the leaders of Al Qaeda to lay down their arms. It is not a call to cynicism to say that violence may sometimes be necessary - it is a recognition of history, the imperfection of man and the limits of reason."

(Barack Obama)

10.

"Threats are always taboo, warnings are often helpful and necessary."

(Unknown)

Relationship negotiations

1.

"When two people negotiate a question, they become different and the question becomes different."

(E. v. Keyserling)

2.

"An appeal to reason is the most unreasonable thing you can do."

(M. Schranner)

3.

„If you want to know what you want, watch what you do “

(Unknown)

4.

"Relationships get worse on their own."

(Hans Jellouschek, transaction analyst)

5.

"Grass doesn't grow any faster if you pull on it."

(Unknown)

6.

"Get your neediness under control and pay attention to the other person's signals."

(Jim Camp)

7.

"What has been said once can never be unsaid again."

(Unknown)

8.

„Ever tried, ever failed, no matter.“

(Unknown)

9.

"Not my circus, not my monkeys."

(Unknown)

10.

"I don't have to put up with everything – from me."

(Unknown)

Is there a quote you are missing on the subject of negotiation?

Then feel free to write it in the comment function…