A French negotiation brief: objectives, limits and questions

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Prepare a one-page French negotiation brief with a worked example, conditional concessions, decision limits and three questions to test your wording.

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In short

Prepare five headings: objective, constraints, preference, room for compromise and decision authority. Under each, write a short French note you can consult during the exchange; finish with questions that could change your proposal.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A programme coordinator considering a plain one-page brief before a meeting in a cultural centre.
A prepared brief clarifies les contraintes. Illustration: Atelier

A worked brief: publishing a workshop programme

You coordinate a programme page. Participants need reliable times before they register. Your team can draft the page; the programme lead approves publication. Here is the note you take into the meeting.

Keep the reasons for each limit visible
HeadingYour preparation note
ObjectiveObjectif : permettre aux participants de s’organiser avant de s’inscrire.
ConstraintContrainte : seuls les horaires confirmés peuvent être publiés.
PreferencePréférence : mettre la page en ligne avant vendredi.
Possible concessionMarge de manœuvre : publier les horaires d’abord, puis ajouter le détail des ateliers.
Decision authorityMandat : je peux préparer la page ; la responsable du programme valide sa publication.

Friday is a preference in this brief. Confirmed times are a constraint. The distinction gives you a useful response if Friday is too soon: discuss the date while keeping the reliability requirement.

How do you prepare for a negotiation in French?

Nous pourrions publier les horaires généraux dès jeudi, à condition que la responsable les confirme par écrit.

We could publish the general times from Thursday, provided the programme lead confirms them in writing.

Pourrions presents a possible offer. À condition que introduces its condition and takes the subjunctive: qu’elle les confirme. Keep both parts together when someone asks for a shorter version.

Three questions worth taking in
You need to knowAsk
Whether the partial page helpsLes horaires seuls permettraient-ils aux participants de s’organiser ?
What is still unsettledQuels éléments restent à confirmer ?
Who can approve the changeQui peut valider une publication en deux étapes ?
Une demande qui dépasse votre mandat
  1. Colleague

    Pouvez-vous nous garantir une publication jeudi ?

    Can you guarantee publication on Thursday?

  2. You

    Je peux m’engager à préparer la page pour jeudi. Pour la publication, il me faut la validation de la responsable.

    I can commit to preparing the page for Thursday. For publication, I need the programme lead’s approval.

  3. Colleague

    Dans ce cas, pouvez-vous lui transmettre la proposition aujourd’hui ?

    In that case, can you send her the proposal today?

  4. You

    Oui, je lui transmets la proposition cet après-midi et je vous tiens au courant de sa réponse.

    Yes, I’ll send her the proposal this afternoon and keep you informed of her reply.

Before the discussion

A self-review aid, not a grade. Ticks are not saved.

Question 1No account needed
Which line preserves your authority limit?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je prépare la page pour jeudi ; la publication reste à valider.. The second line commits to preparation and keeps publication pending.

Question 2No account needed
Complete the condition.Nous pourrions avancer, à condition qu’elle ___ les horaires.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

confirme. À condition que takes the subjunctive. With confirmer, elle confirme has the same spelling as the present indicative.

Question 3No account needed
The programme lead rejects Thursday. Which question returns to the objective?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Quelle autre solution permettrait aux participants de s’organiser ?. This asks for another way to meet the preparation objective while keeping the discussion open.

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