- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •Interrupt
- •Vocabulary
- •3. Several are this aspects situation to there
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •In person…
- •Interested
- •2. Are with where you headed this
- •3. Stop bush beating please the around
- •4. Is what upshot the
- •6. Main issue the is terms payment
- •3. Please stop beating around the bush
- •Vocabulary
- •Interests: Where someone is coming from
- •Identifying obstacles
Vocabulary
Only good things, I hope! Small talk. Typical response to the phrase, “X has said
lots about you." “A: Jenny has said a lot about you. B: Only good things, I
hope!”
To be very impressed with sth: To have a good impression of sth. or to be filled
with admiration about sth. “I was very impressed with how he handled the
situation.
Mutual interests: Joint/shared concerns or benefits. “We have a lot of mutual
interests that are worth exploring.”
Overlapping concerns: Shared areas of interest or concern. “I would be very
interested in discussing our overlapping concerns in this area.”
Pan-European providers: “Pan” means all; provider refers to a service provider.
A pan-European provider, thus, is a company that provides service to all of
Europe.
The trend is towards sth.: To have a tendancy towards sth. “The trend in the
market is towards smaller and smaller cars.”
Consolidation: The act of small parts merging into one. “There are so many
small, regional players in this market that we think some consolidation is
inevitable.”
To be in sth. together: To be on the same team; to face difficulties together.
“There’s no way I’m abandoning you – we’re in this together.”
To band together: To form a strong group. “In the face of a strong common
opponent, the companies banded together.
To join forces (with) s/o: To combine resources and strength with s/o. “To
remain competitive, we were forced to join forces with another regional
provider.”
To cross one’s mind: To occur to s/o. “The thought has crossed our minds.”
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 27
Successful Negotiations
Dialog
Peter:So, Sam has said a lot about you.
Maxine:Only good things, I hope!
Peter:Of course. And I’ve been looking at the figures, and I must say I’m very
impressed with your company.
Maxine:Thanks.
Peter:It’s great to finally have the opportunity to meet you.
Maxine:Likewise.
Peter:So, have you eaten here before?
Maxine:Once or twice. Can I make a recommendation?
Peter: Yes, that’d be great. [Fade out]
Peter: [Fade in] Mhhmm. The food is delicious…
Maxine:I’m glad you like it.
Peter:So, as I mentioned over the phone, I’m hoping we canexplore some
mutual interests.
Maxine: Yes, we certainly haveoverlapping concerns.
Peter:Obviously, the big one is how toremain competitive in the face of
pan-European providers.
Maxine:Sure. Thetrendis definitelytowardsconsolidation.
Peter: The way I see it,we’re in this together. We have everything to gain by
banding together.
Maxine:What did you have in mind?
Peter:We’re wondering whether you’ve ever consideredjoining forceswith
another regional provider…
Maxine:The thought’s certainlycrossed our minds.
Peter:Well, then I’d say we have a lot to talk about.
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 28
business englishpod
Debrief
At this point in his conversations with Maxine, Peter has not actually directly
brought up the fact that he wishes to buy her company. Until now, he has just
been focusing on creating a good atmosphere andestablishing common
interests. Peter knows that for a merger to succeed,building a good relationship
is essential. So he is being careful to lay good groundwork, that is, to establish a
strong foundation for his partnership with Maxine.
Let’s look in detail at some of the positive language and expressions that Peter
uses at the beginning of the dialog:
Peter:So, Sam has said a lot about you.
Maxine:Only good things, I hope!
Peter:Of course. And I’ve been looking at the figures, and I must say I’m very
impressed with your company.
Maxine:Thanks.
Peter:It’s great to finally have the opportunity to meet you.
First, Peter mentions a mutual acquaintance, Sam. Next, he uses two phrases to
start the conversation off on the right foot, that is, to start it off on a positive
basis: First he flatters Maxine on her business – he says, “I’m very impressed
with your company.” Second, he says, “It’s great to finally have the opportunity
to meet you.” Using this kind of language on the first meeting is often an
important element in starting off on the right foot – that is, making a good
impression and creating a good atmosphere. Let’s study more phrases that we
can use:
It’s great finally to have the opportunity to meet you in person.
I’m grateful for this chance to talk.
We’ve heard a lot of great things about you.
Your reputation precedes you.
What happens next? Peter and Maxine order their food, and the dialog fades out
while they begin eating. For more practice on business meals, we can listen to
BEP 96, which deals specifically with this topic, including ordering,
recommending dishes, andpaying the bill.
When the dialog fades back in, Peter is ready to turn the topic of conversation to
business. How does he do that in a positive and productive way? He emphasizes
the intereststhat he and Maxineshare. Listen again.
Peter:So, as I mentioned over the phone, I’m hoping we canexplore some
mutual interests.
Maxine: Yes, we certainly haveoverlapping concerns.
“I’m hoping we can explore some mutual interests…” is a great way of bringing
up the topic of possible cooperation; since the emphasis is not only on my own
aims but rather on common goals, this kind of language helps establish a feeling
of shared benefit. Considering the other party’s benefit expresses “you-attitude”
– instead of focusing on me, I start off by considering you.The “you-attitude” –
that is, taking a genuine interest in the other person – is useful in establishing
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 29
Successful Negotiations
trustandbuilding rapportin a relationship. Let’s listen to some more examples
of using a “you-attitude” to explore mutual needs.
What direction are you taking your business?
What would be an ideal outcome for you?
What are the top five things you value most in a business relationship?
What do you like most about your current supplier, and what would you like
to change?
What are you hoping to achieve in the next year?
What are your medium and long-term goals?
After Peter has turned the conversation to business by exploring mutual needs,
how does the dialog continue? Maxine agrees with Peter that they have
overlapping or shared interests.
Maxine: Yes, we certainly haveoverlapping concerns.
Peter:Obviously, the big one is how toremain competitive in the face of
pan-European providers.
Having opened the topic of business, Peter and Maxine now emphasize a
common interest that will form the basis of his relationship with Maxine: How to
remain competitive in the face of pan-European providers. “Pan” means “all,” a
“providers” means competing service providers, like Peter’s and Maxine’s
companies. So, Peter is talking about competition from larger, Europe-wide
companies that sell ring tones and games.
Thus, Peter and Maxine can say that their major overlapping concern is how to
remain competitive in the face of larger providers. Peter and Maxine use these
phrases to establish common interests. Let’s review some more types of useful
expression for this purpose:
We have a lot of common ground.
There are definitely many areas where our interests are aligned.
There is great potential for synergy between our two businesses.
Our needs in this area complementary, don’t you think?
How does the dialog continue to develop? Maxine agrees with Peter about the
threat they jointly face from larger competitors, doesn’t she?
Maxine:Sure. Thetrendis definitelytowardsconsolidation.
In this context, consolidationrefers to smaller companies merging or being
bought to form larger companies.
The positive response that Peter is getting from Maxine is, of course, due to his
focusing specifically on clear areas of common interest.
Next, Peter takes advantage of this positive response to build on the good
atmosphere by emphasizing solidarity. Solidarity is, as Peter puts it, the feeling
that we are in this together. It is the basis of loyalty and trust. Listen again.
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 30
business englishpod
Peter: The way I see it,we’re in this together. We have everything to gain by
banding together.
To band together similarly meansto form a strong group.
Giving emphasis to feelings of togetherness and solidarity is an effective method
of building a strong relationship. Listen to some more useful language:
Our long-term partnership can only contribute to the success of both our
companies.
This is a great chance to forge an even closer and more productive working
relationship.
By working closely together, we can achieve great things.
As their conversation continues, it’s now Maxine’s turn to ask Peter for
clarification about what exactly he is thinking of:
Maxine:What do you have in mind?
Peter:We’re wondering whether you’ve ever consideredjoining forceswith
another regional provider…
Peter asks Maxine if she has ever considered joining forces. This is the most
direct reference that Peter makes to a merger during the dialog. To join forces is
an idiom that comes from military language. The original meaning is to merge
armies. We can use this expression with the prepositionwith – for example, to
join forces with someone. Here are some more examples with this phrase:
Because we faced such fierce competition from larger companies, I suggested
joining forces with some of our competitors.
Originally, they were on opposite sides; but then, when they faced a common
enemy, they joined forces to defeat their competitor.
How does Maxine respond to Peter’s suggestion that they should join forces?
Maxine:The thought’s certainlycrossed our minds.
Peter:Well, I’d say we have a lot to talk about.
To cross one’s mind meansto occur to someone. So Maxine is saying that she
had actually already been thinking about possibilities for some sort of merger.
Peter finishes off the dialog by suggesting a next step – he says, “Well, I’d say
we have a lot to talk about.” Of course, in a business discussion it’s not enough
just to build the relationship – at some point, we need to take action. Let’s
review further expressions for proposing the next step.
This is an area that’s worth exploring further.
Let’s try to hammer out an agreement.
Why don’t we get together next Thursday or Friday to talk?
The next step, I’d say, is to get all the parties around the same table.
Now, it’s your turn to practice.
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 31
Successful Negotiations
First, we’ll review the language of exploring each other’s needs andestablishing
common ground. Imagine you are in discussions with some potential partners.
First you’ll hear a cue prompting you to ask them about their needs.
For example, if you hear…
Example cue: Directions, taking your business.<beep>
You can ask,
Example answer:What directions are you taking your business?
Next, listen to their reply. After they have finished, respond by using a phrase
we studied for establishing common ground. For instance you could say, “We
have a lot of common ground…” or “Our needs in this area are complementary,
don’t you think?”
Are you ready? Let’s give it a try.
Cue 1:hoping to achieve, next year?
Learner 1 – Question:
Partner 1 – Reply: We’re looking to expand into new markets.
Learner 1– Response::
Cue 2:ideal outcome, for you?
Learner 2 – Question:
‘
Partner 2 – Reply: We’re hoping to double profits in the next five years.
Learner 2 – Response::
Cue 3:directions, taking your business?
Learner 3 – Question:
Partner 3 – Reply: We’re focusing more and more on innovation.
Learner 3 – Response::
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 32
business englishpod
Now, let’s listen to some example answers.
Cue 1:hoping to achieve, next year?
Learner 1 – Question: What are you hoping to achieve in the next year?
Partner 1 – Reply: We’re looking to expand into new markets.
Learner 1– Response:Yes, there’s definitely many areas where our interests
are aligned.
Cue 2:ideal outcome, for you?
Learner 2 – Question: What would be an ideal outcome for you?
Partner 2 – Reply: We’re hoping to double profits in the next five years.
Learner 2 – Response:Well, there is great potential for synergy between our
two businesses.
Cue 3:directions, taking your business?
Learner 3 – Question: What directions are you taking your business?
Partner 3 – Reply: We’re focusing more and more on innovation.
Learner 3 – Response:Our needs in this area are complementary, don’t you
think?
Practice 2
Next, we’ll review some of the useful vocabulary and collocations that we studied
in this episode. You’ll hear a series of sentences with a verb blanked out or
replaced with a beep. Repeat the whole sentence saying the missing word.
For example, if you hear…
Example cue:It’s great finally to have the<beep> to meet you in person.
You can say:
Example answer:It’s great finally to have theopportunityto meet you in
person.
After each response, we’ll play the correct answer. Let’s begin.
Cue 1:I’m<beep> for this chance to talk.
Learner 1:
Cue 2:This is a great chance to<beep> an even closer relationship.
Learner 2:
Cue 3:By working closely together, we can<beep> great things.
Learner 3:
Cue 4:They joined<beep> with each other to defeat their common opponent.
Learner 4:
Cue 5:Let’s try to<beep> out an agreement.
Learner 5:
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 33
Successful Negotiations
Answer 1: I’mgratefulfor this chance to talk.
Answer 2: This is a great chance toforgean even closer relationship.
Answer 3: By working closely together, we canachievegreat things.
Answer 4: They joinedforceswith each other to defeat their common
opponent.
Answer 5: Let’s try tohammerout an agreement.
That’s all for this episode on relationship building. We’ve talked about the
importance of a “you-attitude”, learned useful idioms, and studied language and
expressions for starting off on the right foot,exploring each other’s needs,
establishing common interests,emphasizing solidarityandsuggesting the next
step.
See you next time, and thanks for listening!
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 34
business englishpod
Language Review
A. Starting Off on the Right Foot
Put the following jumbled sentences in order to review language for starting off
on the right foot. Write your correct response into the blank below each group of
mixed up words.
1) person it great have to opportunity the to meet you in finally is
2) talk I grateful am for to chance this
3) we things you a lot of great about have heard
4) your you proceeds reputation
B. Exploring Mutual Needs and Establishing Common Interests
Review useful collocations by filing in the blanks with words from the box below.
taking
synergy
change
outcome
complementary
medium
achieve
aligned
common
value
Explore each other’s needs with a you-attitude
1. What directions are you __________your business?
2. What would be an ideal __________for you?
3. What are the top five things you __________most in a business
relationship?
4. What do you like most about your current supplier, and what would you like
to __________?
5. What are you hoping to __________in the next year?
6. What are your __________- and long-term goals?
Establishing common interests
1. We have a lot of __________ground.
2. There are definitely many areas where our interests are __________.
3. There is great potential for __________between our two businesses.
4. Our needs in this area __________, don’t you think?
Study Strategy
On a piece of paper draw a small circle. That circle is yourself. Next, draw
several other circles of varying distances from the first to represent the various
people, companies, and organizations with whom you have built relationships.
The distance represents the closeness of the relationship. After you have
finished, consider how all these relationships were formed. Some – like those
with your family – you did not choose. Others you have worked hard to form.
Give a presentation to a friend or a colleague about the relationships, and use
the opportunity to discuss the practices and customs of relationship building in
your culture.
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 35
Successful Negotiations
Answers
Listening Questions
1) No, Peter and Maxine have not Met before. Peter says, “It’s great to finally
have the opportunity to meet you.”
2) When Maxine mentions that she and Peter have some overlapping concerns,
Peter replies, “Yes, big one is how to remain competitive in the face of pan-
European providers.” “Pan” means “all,” so Peter is concerned about how to
compete with larger companies that have all of Europe as their market.
3) Peter is careful about how he approaches the subject of a merger between
his and Maxine’s company: He indirectly brings up the topic near the end of
the dialog when he asks Maxine, “We’re wondering whether you’ve ever
considered joining forceswith another regional provider…” He has not at
this point clearly indicated that he wishes to buy Maxine’s company,
Gamester.
Language Review
A. Starting Off on the Right Foot
1. It is great finally to have the opportunity to meet you in person.
2. I am grateful for this chance to talk.
3. We have heard a lot of great things about you.
4. Your reputation proceeds you.
B. Exploring Mutual Needs and Establishing Common Interests
Explore each other’s needs with a you-attitude
1. What directions are you takingyour business?
2. What would be an ideal outcomefor you?
3. What are the top five things you valuemost in a business relationship?
4. What do you like most about your current supplier, and what would you like to
change?
5. What are you hoping to achievein the next year?
6. What are your medium- and long-term goals?
Establishing common interests
1. We have a lot of commonground.
2. There are definitely many areas where our interests are aligned.
3. There is great potential for synergybetween our two businesses.
4. Our needs in this area complementary, don’t you think?
Online Activities – Flash Quizzes
(click above to open)
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 36
business englishpod
Online Activities:
M
P
3
P
o
d cast:
BEP 404 – Getting Started
This is part of an ongoing series on negotiations. In this episode, we’ll study how
to open a traditional commercial negotiation between buyer and seller. We’ll
focus on creating goodwill, starting off, setting ground rules, suggesting an
agenda and exploring possibilities.
We’ll be listening to a telephone conversation between
Tony, a supplier of building materials, and Paul, a
purchasing manager for a large construction company.
Paul is buying materials for a harborproject. A harbor is a
protected area of water where boats dock, or park. For
this project, Paul needs to buy anchor bolts. These bolts
are the thick steel screws that are embedded or buried in
concrete to support or anchor structural steel columns.
Structural columns refer to the steel frameworks that hold
buildings up.
This is the first time Tony and Paul have talked on the
phone. As you listen, pay attention to the language they
use to get the negotiation started, and try to answer the
following questions.
Listening Questions
1) How does Tony begin the phone call to establish goodwill?
2) How long does Paul say he has available for the phone call?
3) Paul asks Tony how he will be using the bolts. How does Tony respond?
4) What other option does Paul want to explore with Tony?
© 2009 All rights reserved: www.business englishpod.com 37
Successful Negotiations