Negotiation Quotes

“Everything is a negotiation with you, Brekker. You probably bartered your way out of the womb.”
― Leigh Bardugo, Crooked Kingdom

“We're fascinated by the words--but where we meet is in the silence behind them.”
― ram dass

“Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with the seven-layer dip...And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game."
Maybe if I kick you in your soft spot, I thought. And make you sing Soprano for a week.”
― Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief

“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

[Inaugural Address, January 20 1961]”
― John Fitzgerald Kennedy

“There are many goals but one path - the path of compassion.”
― Amit Ray, Nonviolence: The Transforming Power

“We cannot negotiate with people who say what's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable."

[ The Berlin Crisis: Radio and Television Address to the American People (The White House, July 25, 1961)]”
― John F. Kennedy

“When the final result is expected to be a compromise, it is often prudent to start from an extreme position.”
― John Maynard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace

“Where two principles really do meet which cannot be reconciled with one another, then each man declares the other a fool and a heretic”
― Ludwig Wittgenstein, On Certainty

“Sasha, the world is full of entities that people cannot negotiate with. But somehow people survive, don’t they?”
― Marina Dyachenko, Vita Nostra

“But the uproar this caused was nothing compared with the uproar when Katronia noticed [Rosie] had also cut her eyelashes. Various negotiations (including, finally, such desperate measures as "supposing you ever want to eat again") eventually produced the grudging promise that, in return for Katronia keeping her hair cut short, she would leave her eyelashes alone.”
― Robin McKinley, Spindle's End

“We’re all somebody’s prospect; we’re all somebody’s customer.”
― Chris Murray, Selling with EASE: The Four Step Sales Cycle Found in Every Successful Business Transaction

“International peace negotiations need more value creation than value claiming. The more we create value for peace and development, the easier it is going to be to claim value for a nuclear weapons free world.”
― Amit Ray, Nuclear Weapons Free World - Peace on the Earth

“Note to the wise: whenever someone insists that he wants to buy something from you, but tells you there’s no real value in it yet, two things are happening: he’s lying, and you’re being taken.”
― Michael A. Stackpole

“It was a monumental achievement that the serpentine tc'a had once upon a time gotten the knnn to understand the concept of trade: so nowadays knnn simply contacted a station, rushed onto its methane-dock and deposited whatever they liked, grabbed whatever they wanted and left. This was an improvement over their former behavior, in which they simply looted and left.”
― C.J. Cherryh, The Kif Strike Back

“Think about it: if someone had found a way to manipulate human choice and free will – if someone actually had that kind of power – wouldn’t it be a tad surprising if they then decided to share their secret with the masses in a book for $20? Not to mention how it would be just very slightly unethical.”
― Chris Murray, Selling with EASE: The Four Step Sales Cycle Found in Every Successful Business Transaction

“The key to resolving international conflict with a positive outcome includes looking for a win-win situation, finding common ground, formulating proactive strategies, using effective negotiation and communication, and appreciating cultural differences.”
― Amit Ray, Nuclear Weapons Free World - Peace on the Earth

“Negotiation is a fundamental skill for board members. Whether it's negotiating with management over strategic direction, with investors over funding terms, or with stakeholders over environmental impact, the ability to negotiate effectively is essential for achieving the best possible outcomes for all parties involved.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr., Board Room Blitz: Mastering the Art of Corporate Governance

“Any negotiation has a limit.
Otherwise, war is irrelevant.”
― Toba Beta, My Ancestor Was an Ancient Astronaut

“Focusing on Earning the Right will have an incredible effect on the success of every single sales call that you will make from this day on.”
― Chris Murray, Selling with EASE: The Four Step Sales Cycle Found in Every Successful Business Transaction

“Notice we said 'It sounds like . . .' and not 'I'm hearing that . . .' That's because the word 'I' gets people's guard up. When you say 'I,' it says you're more interested in yourself than the other person, and it makes you take personal responsibility for the words that follow—and the offense they might cause.”
― Chris Voss, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It

“When a fellow says that it ain't the money but the principle of the thing, it's the money.”
― Kin Hubbard

“Within each public issue, the clearest division is between moderates and extremists. As such, the right third parties in a negotiation are moderates. They, more than extremists, are focused on building a better way of life (tomorrow), whereas most extremists are focused on tearing things down as a penalty for yesterday.”
― Stuart Diamond, Getting More: How to Negotiate to Achieve Your Goals in the Real World

“Mom, can I have a pig?" Avery asked, hopeful.
"No," Mrs. Arable replied firmly.
"Can I have a chicken?" he tried again.
"No."
"Can I have a goose?"
"No."
"Can I have a duck?"
"No."
"Can I get my tongue pierced and dye my hair pink?" Avery asked, trying his luck one last time.
"You can have a duck," Mrs. Arable said with a sigh.”
― GLEN NESBITT, SUS: Short Unpredictable Stories

“Respecting opinions of the other person, letting them know that their view is a significant input and explain why we can't implement it in the deal at hand. Negotiation is all about clinching the deal in the right way. Negotiation in practicality is an art and a science.”
― Henrietta Newton Martin, Author-Supervision, Leadership, & Administration in Social Work Organizatio

“Negotiation isn’t about getting what you want at the expense of others. It’s about clearly communicating your needs and expectations, and collaboratively crafting win-win solutions.”
― Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr.

“Negotiation isn't a battlefield; it's a dialogue where we find value in our differences."
"The art of negotiation lies in listening more than speaking, finding solutions that honor every voice."
"To negotiate effectively is to understand not just what is said, but what is felt."
"True negotiation isn't about compromise but crafting a path where everyone walks away with dignity."
"In every negotiation, there's an opportunity not just to resolve conflict, but to build a stronger future together.”
― Vorng Panha

“Negotiation is less about winning arguments and more about finding the wisdom in every perspective."

"In negotiation, the smallest gestures of respect can pave the way for the greatest agreements."

"The strength of a negotiator lies in their ability to turn conflict into collaboration."

"Every negotiation should aim to build bridges that outlast the deals made upon them."

"A skilled negotiator knows when to be firm and when to yield, understanding both are part of progress."

"Negotiation thrives on curiosity—it's the willingness to explore options beyond the obvious."

"To negotiate well is to understand that compromise is not about losing, but about mutual gain."

"The true art of negotiation is finding a path where everyone’s needs are met, even if the routes are different."

"Negotiation is a dance of give and take, where rhythm matters as much as the steps."

"The most effective negotiators are those who see through positions to the interests that lie beneath.”
― Vorng Panha

“A great lawyer listens first, speaks second, and always thinks strategically."

"Effective lawyering is less about winning arguments and more about crafting solutions that stand the test of justice."

"The power of a lawyer lies in their ability to turn complexity into clarity."

"A true lawyer is an advocate for the truth, not just for their client."

"Lawyering is the art of persuasion, guided by reason and grounded in integrity."

"A good lawyer knows the law; a great lawyer knows how to apply it wisely and ethically."

"The essence of lawyering is not just in knowing the law, but in understanding people."

"A lawyer's greatest skill is turning conflict into resolution with words that heal, not hurt."

"Lawyering requires the courage to stand firm in principle and the flexibility to adapt in practice."

"To be a lawyer is to be a guardian of justice, ensuring fairness prevails over power.”
― Vorng Panha

“In the art of negotiation, listen twice, speak once, and let the silence work for you.”
“The power of negotiation isn’t in what you demand, but in what you’re willing to let go.”
“In every offer, lies a bridge to compromise, not a battlefield of demands.”
"Success in negotiation isn’t about dominance; it’s about finding equilibrium.”
― Vorng Panha

“From the strain
of binding opposites
comes harmony.

The harmony past knowing sounds
more deeply than the known.”
― Heraclitus, Fragments