From International Negotiations by M.

Powell

RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING PART 1

1. Consider what two negotiation experts say about the importance of building a good relationship with the
other party and write down the answers to the following questions:

2. Sometimes, when you want something, you just have to go for it! In the comic movie Jingle All The Way,
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the part of an over-worked father determined to buy his son this year’s most
popular toy for Christmas, but the stores have almost sold out and another desperate father is after the
same toy!

You are going to negotiate your way out of the dilemma. Write down your version of possible scenario of the
negotiation (two desperate fathers, who do not know each other, want the same toy for their sons)

Read the text below to get into the role better.

You are both incredibly busy people whose demanding jobs keep you from spending as much time as you’d
like with your families. You often get home late, travel on business a lot and regularly work weekends. This
Christmas you are determined to make it up to you seven-year-old son by buying him the toy he has been
talking about for moths – a limited-edition action figure of his favorite comic-book superhero.
But, unfortunately, by the time you finally get a free afternoon to go shopping, it’s Christmas Eve and you
discover that all the toy stores have completely sold out! In desperation, you drive five miles out of town to
the biggest toy store and arrive minutes before it closes. Pushing through the crowds of shoppers, you see
that there is just one Turbo Man left on the shelves! A sticker on it says ‘LAST ONE IN STOCK’. But, as you
reach for it, somebody else appears beside you and grabs the box at the same time…

Would you find yourself doing any of the following: arguing? bullying? refusing to discuss
the issue? just giving in? just grabbing the toy? trying to justify yourself?
using emotional blackmail?

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From International Negotiations by M. Powell

2a. Now the situation is different. You and the other father have known each other since school. You used to
meet up regularly and your kids get on really well. But one of you was transferred abroad three years ago
and somehow you gradually lost touch with each other. You’ve missed them quite a bit and can’t believe they
are back in town!

How was your negotiation different the second time? Think about your tone of voice, how you started off
and how you ended your conversation.
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Explain the terms in bold.

a single-issue negotiation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
a zero-sum game …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
go head to head …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
reach a deadlock ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
one-off deal …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Fons Trompenaars is one of the world’s leading expert on doing business across cultures.
Read the text in which an intercultural communication trainer is commenting on his views about
relationship-building and label the diagrams below.

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From International Negotiations by M. Powell

Answer the following questions:

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RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING PART 2

1. If you took Michael Soon Lee’s advice, what sort of subjects could you talk about to build rapport with
a business partner you don’t know well? What kind of things could you try to find in common? Are there any
topics to avoid? Write your answer.

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From International Negotiations by M. Powell

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2. Read two pre-negotiations conversations (). The speakers work hard to build rapport. Number the things
they find in common in order they are mentioned:

conferences ….
sport ….
colleagues ….
education ….
languages ….
cities ….
wine ….
names ….

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From International Negotiations by M. Powell

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From International Negotiations by M. Powell

3. If there were seven rules for building rapport with business contacts, what do you think they would be? Read
the text below and complete the missing expressions. They were all in the conversations in ex. 2.