Substantive negotiation with the British does not begin until a foundation of trust has been established. This is not a preference for small talk—it is a structural requirement. The British need to assess whether you are someone they can rely on: will you honor commitments, behave predictably, and operate in good faith?
This assessment happens through informal interaction before the formal negotiation—over coffee, at lunch, through shared contacts. Skipping this phase and moving straight to terms will be perceived as aggressive or naive. The investment in relationship-building is not wasted time; it is the infrastructure that makes the negotiation possible. Long-term relationships are valued over one-time deals, and a negotiator who damages trust for short-term advantage will find future negotiations significantly harder.
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