Italians build relationships before they negotiate deals. The time spent getting to know you personally—over meals, through conversation, through shared connections—is not a preliminary courtesy; it is the foundation the entire negotiation rests on. An agreement between people who trust each other is durable and flexible. An agreement between strangers is fragile.

If you try to jump directly to terms and conditions before investing in the personal relationship, you will encounter resistance and may never reach the real decision-maker. Take the time to build genuine rapport. Show interest in the person, not just the deal. Share something about yourself.

Accept invitations. The relationship you build is the single most important factor in determining whether your negotiation succeeds and whether the agreement holds over time.

Italians make extensive use of intermediaries in negotiation—people trusted by both sides who can facilitate introductions, build trust, carry messages, and propose solutions. This is not a sign of weakness or inability to negotiate directly; it is a sophisticated strategy that leverages existing trust networks.

If you are approaching an Italian counterpart for the first time, finding someone who knows both of you and can make the introduction significantly increases your chances of a productive negotiation. Intermediaries are particularly valuable when direct negotiation has stalled, when face-saving is important, or when cultural or personal distance makes direct communication difficult. Accept and use intermediaries when they are available—they accelerate trust-building and often unlock solutions that direct negotiation cannot reach.

Italians treat agreements as frameworks that capture mutual understanding at a point in time, not as rigid contracts that bind both parties regardless of changed circumstances. The expectation is that reasonable partners will adjust terms when conditions shift, and that the willingness to renegotiate reflects good faith rather than unreliability.

This means a signed agreement is the beginning of an ongoing relationship, not the end of negotiation. If circumstances change, Italian counterparts will expect to revisit terms—and they will extend the same flexibility to you. Insisting rigidly on the strict letter of a contract when circumstances have clearly changed can be perceived as acting in bad faith. Focus on the spirit and intent of agreements, and be prepared for ongoing adjustment throughout the life of the relationship.

Italians value eloquence and the ability to build a compelling case through narrative and argumentation. In Italian negotiation, how you present your position matters alongside what you present. Italian negotiators tend to construct arguments through stories, examples, and persuasive scenarios rather than through bullet-point lists of data. A well-crafted narrative that frames your proposal compellingly will resonate more strongly than a data-heavy presentation delivered without rhetorical care.

This does not mean data is unimportant, but it means data must be embedded in a persuasive story to achieve its full impact. When negotiating with Italian counterparts, invest in the quality of your verbal presentation. Speak with conviction. Build your argument with care. The effort you put into how you communicate signals how seriously you take the negotiation itself.

Italian negotiation moves at relational speed, not transactional speed. Italians are generally patient negotiators who are willing to invest time in building trust, exploring positions, and waiting for the right moment to advance or close. Rushing a negotiation—pressing for quick decisions, imposing tight deadlines, or showing impatience with the pace—is likely to create resistance rather than acceleration.

The Italian approach recognizes that the right proposal at the wrong time fails, while even an imperfect proposal at the right moment can succeed. Allow time for the relationship to develop. Reveal your positions gradually rather than all at once. Be prepared for negotiations to take longer than you might expect, and understand that this investment of time typically produces more durable outcomes. Patience signals seriousness, not weakness.

Italian negotiation involves the whole person, emotions included. Expressing enthusiasm, frustration, passion, or concern during negotiation is not considered unprofessional—it is considered natural and informative. Italian negotiators use emotional expression to communicate how much something matters, to signal when limits are being approached, and to demonstrate genuine commitment. They also read your emotional signals closely.

A flat, purely analytical negotiation style may be perceived as cold or uncommitted rather than professional. When negotiating with Italian counterparts, allow yourself to be more expressive than you might be in other cultural contexts. Show genuine enthusiasm for aspects of the deal that excite you. Express concern openly when something worries you. Your emotional engagement communicates that you are personally invested in the outcome—and personal investment builds the trust that Italian negotiation requires.

Italians approach negotiation with the expectation that the final outcome will differ from any party’s opening position, and they value the ability to find creative accommodation among competing interests. Compromise is not a dirty word in Italian negotiation culture—it is a pragmatic achievement that demonstrates sophistication and good faith. Italian negotiators generally enter with room for movement built into their initial positions, and they expect the same from counterparts. A negotiation in which neither party moves is not considered principled—it is considered failed.

When negotiating with Italian counterparts, build flexibility into your opening position. Be prepared to make visible concessions, and frame your concessions as genuine movement rather than reluctant retreat. The mutual process of moving toward a shared solution is itself valued as evidence that both parties are committed to making the relationship work.

Italian negotiators place high value on the ability to assess what their counterpart truly wants, how they are feeling, and what approach will be most effective with them—and to adapt accordingly. A rigid, one-size-fits-all negotiation style is considered unsophisticated. Skilled Italian negotiators adjust their tone, their timing, their level of formality, and their argumentative approach based on who they are dealing with and what they observe during the interaction.

When negotiating with Italian counterparts, pay close attention to the signals they send—verbal and nonverbal—and be willing to adjust your approach in response. Show that you are attentive to their concerns and responsive to their communication style. Demonstrating that you are paying attention to them as people, not just executing a predetermined strategy, builds the trust and rapport that Italian negotiation depends on.