Business Idioms for Negotiations and Meetings – Examples and practice exercises

It’s time to put your best foot forward and stick out your neck to learn more about using the easy vocabulary of body parts to delve into the more complex language of idioms.

A great way to improve your English conversational skills, idioms boost your business exchanges by making them more vivid and relatable, adding refreshing vitality to your conversations. Professionally, you feel more comfortable in expressing your messages and intentions clearly and confidently with natural fluency.
 

Idioms enhance business communications by adding clarity to a point of view as well as fostering rapport through using expressions that are commonly used in everyday life. They essentially make your conversation more engaging and memorable.
 

Whether running a team meeting or negotiating a lucrative business deal, having a range of idioms to hand demonstrates your depth of knowledge and level of familiarity with the English language, breaking down cultural barriers, and enhancing cross-cultural communication.

Let’s look at business negotiations

Top tips from a Senior Business Analyst:

• Start using the idioms immediately in both speaking and writing.
• Write down 10 sentences with each idiom and read them out loud.
• Link the idioms to real-life situations.

(Robert Mckenzie, EPAM Systems | Software Engineering)

Exercise 1: What kind of body idioms can we use when negotiating?

• Match the idioms with the definitions and complete the sentences.
• The first example is done for you (and the answer key is at the end of the blog for easy reference).

Pulling my leg	Keep an eye on	Play it by ear	Stick your neck out	Getting cold feet
Had a hand in	Get a foot in the door	Go over his head	Turn a blind eye	Stand your ground

1. To monitor or watch carefully:

“We need to Keep an eye on our competitors.”

2. To gain initial entry/opportunity:

“Getting this first contract will help us _____ _____ _____ _______ _______ ______ with the major client.”

3. To bypass a person in authority:

“If the manager rejects the proposal, we might have to _____ _______ ______ _____ to the director.”

4. To be involved in something:

“She _____ ___ _____ ___ in negotiating the terms of the new partnership.”

5. To maintain your position or viewpoint:

“During the negotiation, it is important to ______ ______ ________ to get what you want.”

6. To ignore something intentionally:

“We can’t afford to ______ ____ _____ _____ to the potential risks of this deal.”

7. To feel nervous or hesitant about a decision:

“I want to start my own business, but I am _______ _____ _____ because of the paperwork involved.”

8. To joke or tease someone:

“I thought he was serious about the discount, but he was just ________ _____ ______ .”

9. To improvise or adjust plans as needed:

“If the client seems hesitant, we can _______ _____ _____ ____ and adjust our strategy.”

10. To take a risk by doing or saying something:

“She decided to ______ ____ ___ _____ and propose a radical new strategy at the meeting.”
 

And what about meetings with clients and colleagues?

 

Incorporating idioms into your business meetings often adds a touch of creativity and relatability to your repertoire of English language skills. They ensure that complex ideas are communicated effectively and understood by diverse audiences, making your messages more inclusive and memorable. This helps to inspire and motivate your team by making your communications more vivid and engaging.

Now, let’s talk about meetings – how can we effectively use body idioms to motivate ourselves and others?

Exercise 2: Sentences with idioms practice!

• Create sentences using the idioms and then choose five favourites to use in your next meeting.
• The first example is done for you (and the answer key is at the end of the blog for easy reference).

1. “Put your best foot forward”
   Meaning: Make a great impression by starting with your best effort.

Sentence: “Let’s put our best foot forward and show the client what we can do.”

2. “Keep your eye on the ball”
   Meaning: Stay focused on the main goal or task.
    

Sentence:

3. “Lend a hand”
   Meaning: Offer assistance or support.
    

Sentence:

4. “Get your feet wet”
   Meaning: Gain initial experience in a new activity or environment.

Sentence:
 

5. “Put our heads together”
   Meaning: Collaborate and brainstorm as a group.

Sentence:

6. “Have a finger on the pulse”
   Meaning: Be aware of the latest trends and developments.

Sentence:

7. “Raise the bar”
   Meaning: Set higher standards or expectations.

Sentence:

8. “Get something off your chest”
   Meaning: Speak openly about something that’s bothering you.
    

Sentence:

Now let’s raise the bar!

Keeping your eye on the ball and adding idioms to your business interactions further increases your range of language and fluency, and having a finger on the pulse effectively gives you a new and creative way of expressing yourself while motivating others.

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Answer key:

Exercise 1:

1. “We need to keep an eye on our competitors.”

2. “Getting this first contract will help us get a foot in the door with the major client.”

3. “If the manager rejects the proposal, we might have to go over his head to the director.”

4. “She had a hand in negotiating the terms of the new partnership.”

5. “During the negotiation, it is important to stand your ground to get what you want.”

6. “We can’t afford to turn a blind eye to the potential risks of this deal.”

7. “I want to start my own business, but I am getting cold feet because of the paperwork involved.

8. “I thought he was serious about the discount, but he was just pulling my leg .”

9. “If the client seems hesitant, we can play it by ear and adjust our strategy.”

10. “She decided to stick out her neck and propose a radical new strategy at the meeting.”

Exercise 2:

1. “Put your best foot forward”
   Meaning: Make a great impression by starting with your best effort.
   Usage: “Let’s put our best foot forward and show the client what we can do.”
2. “Keep your eye on the ball”
   Meaning: Stay focused on the main goal or task.
   Usage: “It’s important to keep our eye on the ball and not get distracted by minor issues.”
3. “Lend a hand”
   Meaning: Offer assistance or support.
   Usage: “If anyone is struggling with their workload, don’t hesitate to lend a hand.”
4. “Get your feet wet”
   Meaning: Gain initial experience in a new activity or environment.
   Usage: “This project is a great way for the new team members to get their feet wet.”
5. “Put our heads together”
   Meaning: Collaborate and brainstorm as a group.
   Usage: “If we put our heads together, I’m sure we can come up with a creative solution.”
6. “Have a finger on the pulse”
   Meaning: Be aware of the latest trends and developments.
   Usage: “We need to have our finger on the pulse of the market to stay competitive.”
7. “Raise the bar”
   Meaning: Set higher standards or expectations.
   Usage: “Let’s raise the bar and aim for even greater success this quarter.”
8. “Get something off your chest”
   Meaning: Speak openly about something that’s bothering you.
   Usage: “If there’s something on your mind, don’t hesitate to get it off your chest.”