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What does "YES" mean?

Why are some people more successful in negotiations? Why are some people “skilled negotiators” and the others are disappointed with their outcomes?


Usually business negotiations are conducted in English. It means that no one party has a language advantage. However, some business negotiators are always more successful than the others.


What secret do successful negotiators know?

One of the key principles is to look behind the curtain. Each business negotiation is similar to a theatre performance. There is a lot of movement going on the scene but the core understanding of processes is behind the curtain.


One of the most frequent cases is the answer “YES” on the scene.  However, what is really behind it?


There are several meanings of YES which differ from YES in our cultural context.

  • Yes to say that the business partner has understood what has been said. However, it doesn’t mean that he or she agrees with it.
  • Yes to signal that your business partner needs more explanation.
  • Yes as the counterpart’s effort to get time to discuss the issue with the boss.
  • Yes to change the topic and not to go into details as the counterpart is not interested in doing business together.


Business partners should not assume that YES is always that YES which is common in their culture. They should always be equipped with the tools to verify what meaning is hidden behind the YES which has just been pronounced on the scene.


Copyright © 2011. Eva Gáboríková. EFE - English For Everyone