Negotiation Sayings and Quotes

Below you will find our collection of inspirational, wise, and humorous old negotiation quotes, negotiation sayings, and negotiation proverbs, collected over the years from a variety of sources.

No problem is so deep that it cannot be overcome, given the will of all parties, through discussion and negotiation rather than force and violence. Nelson Mandela
Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated. Nelson Mandela
Negotiation is permissible for mediocrity not for excellence. Amit Kalantri
During the negotiation process, it's common for misconceptions to occur, since both parties assume what the other person is saying or thinking. This can lead to conflicts or disagreements. John Rampton
The real negotiation is between humans on the one hand and chemistry and physics on the other. And chemistry and physics, unfortunately, don't bargain. Bill McKibben
If there is negotiation, it must be rooted in mutual respect and concern for the rights of others. John F. Kennedy
This is a classic negotiation technique. It's a gentle, soft indication of your disapproval and a great way to keep negotiating. Count to 10. By then, the other person usually will start talking and may very well make a higher offer. Bill Coleman
Any negotiation has a limit. Otherwise, war is irrelevant. Toba Beta
You can't go to a negotiating table pointing a gun, but you've got to keep it over your shoulder. Joe Slovo
Negotiation is not a policy. It's a technique. It's something you use when it's to your advantage, and something that you don't use when it's not to your advantage. John Bolton
We're fascinated by the words--but where we meet is in the silence behind them. Ram Dass
There's no road map on how to raise a family: it's always an enormous negotiation. Meryl Streep
There are two ways to resolve conflicts, through violence or through negotiation. Violence is for wild beasts, negotiation is for human beings. Marcus Tullius Cicero
Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate. John F. Kennedy
Negotiation is a calling for all seasons ... for conflict situations are omnipresent in human and social relations. Ira William Zartman
When negotiations are at an impasse, when States dig their heels in, it is time to 'undig' them in a spirit of compromise. We all need to unlearn the predator in us, unlearn discrimination, unlearn privilege. Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
Negotiation and discussion are the greatest weapons we have for promoting peace and development. Nelson Mandela
In a negotiation, we must find a solution that pleases everyone, because no one accepts that they must lose and that the other must win. Both must win! Nabil N. Jamal
The best move you can make in negotiation is to think of an incentive the other person hasn't even thought of - and then meet it. Eli Broad
Negotiation is all about building trust, removing suspicion and developing a sense of mutual confidence in the other party. Richard Ellis
The most critical thing in a negotiation is to get inside your opponent's head and figure out what he really wants. Jacob Lew
The first thing to decide before you walk into any negotiation is what to do if the other fellow says no. Ernest Bevin
I have learned that in all negotiations nothing matters except the will to reach agreement. Harold MacMillan
All training is negotiation, whether you're training dogs or spouses. Ian Dunbar
The single most powerful tool for winning a negotiation is the ability to get up and walk away from the table without a deal. unknown
Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the political leaders consistently refused to engage in good faith negotiation. Martin Luther King
By fighting you never get enough, but by yielding you get more than you expected. Dale Carnegie
Our experience has taught us that with goodwill a negotiated solution can be found for even the most profound problems. Nelson Mandela
The first principle of contract negotiations is don't remind them of what you did in the past. Tell them what you're going to do in the future. Stan Musial
If you can't go around it, over it, or through it, you had better negotiate with it. Ashleigh Brilliant