Focus on words

Exercise 1. Use an English-English dictionary to find out the meanings of the following words:

Exercise 2. Match these wordsto their definitions:

Exercise 3. Compare the definitions above with the following explanations. Are they conflicting?

An agreement of any kind is a deal. When you reach an agreement, you can talk about clinching a deal or closing a deal.

A bargain is also an agreement reached through negotiation. People who get what they want in a negotiation are said to drive a hard bargain.

An agreement may be in the form of a contract.

«Contract» is used in these combinations.

· An employment or labour contract - is about what someone has to do in their

job, or about what a particular group of

employees have to do.

· An oral / verbal contract - is not written down

· Commercial contract - is about buying or selling a product

.

Exercise 4. Read the following extracts paying attention to the words in bold type.

Define which of the words in bold type indicate a positive

outcome and which a negative outcome.

Extract 1.

I think it’s clear we have no agreement. We’re wasting time here, so thank you for talking to us, we’ve had a busy morning. I think we’ll leave and perhaps another time we’ll find some way to work together.

Extract 2.

Well, I think that’s been useful. I’ll send you a letter summarising what we’ve agreed and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.

Extract 3.

If that’s everything, I’d like to say many thanks for coming today – it’s been very good. I think we have a very satisfactory agreement and so, for the next step, we will send you the detailed specifications in two weeks.

Extract 4.

So, I think we can both see that we are not quite ready to sign anything just now. Perhaps in future we may be able to reach agreement but, unfortunately, for the moment, we are some way apart. Anyway, thanks for coming, it’s been interesting.

Extract 5.

I’m sorry we’ve been unable to agree. It’s a shame, but it looks like we need more time to settle our problems. In the meantime, I think we should have a think about the issues which are dividing us. Perhaps in the next few days our positions my change, in which case, we know how to contact each other.

Exercise 5. Suggest what you could say in the following situations.

Situation 1.

After a long negotiation, you have reached agreement and now plan a meal in a local restaurant with the other party in the negotiation.

Situation 2.

Your efforts to reach agreement have been unsuccessful. It is late. End the negotiation but offer some hope that in the future you might manage some cooperation with the other side.

Situation 3.

A colleague has asked you to cooperate on a project, but after long discussion you feel you cannot participate because of fundamental disagreement. It is important that you continue to work together in other areas.

PRACTICE FILE.

Practice 1. Internet research.

Search for the keywords «successful negotiations» to find out more about negotiating. Make a list of five tips to remember when you are negating.

Practice 2. Internet research.

Search for the keywords «win-win negotiation». What are the principles behind it?

Practice 3. Internet research.

Search for the keywords «principled negotiation» to find out about a popular approach to negotiation.

Practice 4. Internet research.

. Search for the keywords “cross-cultural negotiation to find out how

Cultural differences affect international negotiations.

Practice 5. In his book «The Pocket Negotiator», Gavin Kennedy describes two extreme styles of negotiator: Red stylists and Blue stylists.

Read the summary of the two styles. Then decide if you are:

1. A Red stylist

2. A Blue stylist

3. Somewhere between the two styles.

Study the Useful Language box below. Then role play this situation.

One of you is a company employee. The other is the employee’s boss.

Employee: You think you should have a 10% salary increase.

Boss: You think the company can only afford a 2% increase.

Negotiate with each other and try to get a good outcome.

Useful Language.

Practice 6.

Objective: negotiate a win-win solution.

Step 1. Preparation.

The sales manager of Butternut Co. has booked a conference room in the Admiral Hotel for a meeting with regional sales agents (30 people). The booking is for Wednesday next week. The bookings manager at the hotel phones the sale manager about the booking.

Step 2. Negotiate an agreement.

Bookings Manager.

You have discovered that you made an error in the booking. You have booked two companies into the same room on the same day. The other company booked first, so Butternut will have to change their booking.

You have two other rooms available but they are smaller. One holds 25 people, the other 15 people. You don’t want to lose Butternut’s business, so you need a suitable alternative solution for them. Your boss may not be happy if you have to offer compensation.

You can propose:

1. The room for 30 people on another date (according to availability).

2. One of the smaller rooms at a small discount.

3. Use of both smaller rooms for the price of one room.

4. A full refund plus a small discount off their next booking.

Sales Manager.

There is a problem with your conference room booking at the hotel. Here are some points to consider in your discussion with the Bookings Manager:

1. You don’t want to change the date of the conference because this would disrupt everybody’s schedules.

2. You don’t really want to find another venue as there isn’t much time before next week.

3. As the hotel has made a mistake, you feel strongly that they should offer reasonable financial compensation.

4. Probably not all 30 delegates will attend. There are usually 4 or 5 people who can’t make it.

LANGUAGE CHECKLIST

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SKILLS CHECKLIST.

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