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"My first deal with an American partner fell apart because I was too polite," Le Thi Hoa recounts. "I kept saying 'we'll try' instead of 'yes' or 'no'. They didn't understand what that meant — and lost confidence in my ability to commit."
After 10 years co-founding and running TechViet Labs, Hoa has negotiated dozens of B2B agreements with customers and partners from the US, Japan, Germany, and beyond.
Three Principles of Cross-Cultural Negotiation
1. Clarify expectations early: Don't assume the other party understands your intent. Ask directly: "What matters most to you in this deal?"
2. Separate people from issues: From the Harvard Negotiation Project — attack the problem, not the person. 3. Know when to walk away: The ability to leave the table is your most powerful leverage — but only use it when you're truly ready.
“Good negotiation isn't making the other side lose — it's finding a solution that both parties actually want to execute.”