Quotations for Negotiators

In our presentations I use a lot of quotations to make certain points. Here are a few favorites:

Planning:

• Charting the course is the key to maintaining control. Wachovia Wealth Management advertisement, 2004
• No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy. Chinese military axiom
• Don't tell me what unless you can tell me how. An old boss of mine
• Before you can improve the fruit, you must first improve the root. Steven Covey

Ethics:

• Character is doing what is right when nobody's looking. J.C. Watts, politician
• Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest. Mark Twain
• Ethics must begin at the top of an organization. It is a leadership issue and the chief executive must set the example. Edward Hennessey, Jr.

Aspire:

• Don't be afraid to go out on a limb, that is where the fruit is. unk
• Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far one can go. T. S. Elliott
• If you want a kitten, start out asking for a horse. e-mail thoughts
• Big goals get big results. No goals get no results or somebody else's results. Mark Victor Hansen

Earn concessions:

• The manner in which it is given is worth more than the gift. Pierre Corneille
• When someone gets something for nothing, someone else gets nothing for something. Leadership booklet, June 2004
• If you give it away, demand is unlimited. Chester Karrass
• What we achieve too cheaply, we will esteem too lightly. Thomas Paine

Silence:

• I have often regretted my speech, never my silence. Publilius Syrus, Maxims
• Silence creates the impression of confidence in your position. Haggler's Handbook
• It is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. A. Lincoln, popularized by Mark Twain

Deadlock:

• Never cut what you can untie. Jobert
• A "no"deal is better than a bum deal! Sauerwein

Jim Sauerwein