--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It takes two sides to make a deal, two…" description: "\"It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate and two sides to make it go bad.\" — Gary Bettman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-bettman-6964_bad_it-takes-two-sides-to-make-a-deal-two-si_3201650.jpg" --- # It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate… ![“It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate and two sides to make it go bad.” quote by Gary Bettman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-bettman-6964_bad_it-takes-two-sides-to-make-a-deal-two-si_3201650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-bettman-6964_bad_it-takes-two-sides-to-make-a-deal-two-si_3201650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/875/gary-bettman-6964_bad_it-takes-two-sides-to-make-a-deal-two-si_3201650.jpg) > “It takes two sides to make a deal, two sides to negotiate and two sides to make it go bad.” [Gary Bettman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bettman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Negotiations involve multiple parties, each with their own interests, which can cause deals to fail. **In simple terms:** Deals break down when parties clash. Key Takeaway Align interests early. Themes negotiation conflict business Mood cautious analytical Type advice observational When to use this quote - contract drafting - team management - dispute resolution Key Concepts game theory stakeholder management Questions to Reflect On - What incentives align all parties? - How to handle deadlock in talks? A Different Perspective One side's rigidity can doom a deal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Two sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-sides/) ## Related quotes > [It's learning how to negotiate to keep both sides happy - whether it's for a multi-million dollar contract or just which show to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-steinberg/it-s-learning-how-to-negotiate-to-keep-both-sides-happy-whether-it-s/) [Leigh Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-steinberg/) > [It takes two sides to put things together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-olsen/it-takes-two-sides-to-put-things-together/) [Greg Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-olsen/) > [The macro of any negotiation is that the only time you can cut a deal is when both sides are hurting. If either side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/the-macro-of-any-negotiation-is-that-the-only-time-you-can-cut-a-deal/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [It's to come up with a deal that both sides feel they can live with. And I think that that's probably where we're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-to-come-up-with-a-deal-that-both-sides-feel-they-can-live-with/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“...Let me say that I do think decency and civilization would insist that the writer take sides with the powerless. Clearly, there's no moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/let-me-say-that-i-do-think-decency-and-civilization-would-insist-that/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Love takes no sides but understands them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/love-takes-no-sides-but-understands-them-all/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) > [I think an artist, in my definition of that word, would not be someone who takes sides with the emperor against his powerless subjects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-think-an-artist-in-my-definition-of-that-word-would-not-be-someone/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [I am an observer of life, a non-participant who takes no sides. I am in the regimented society, but not of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moondog/i-am-an-observer-of-life-a-non-participant-who-takes-no-sides-i-am-in/) [Moondog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moondog/) > [“It takes both sides to build a bridge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-nael/it-takes-both-sides-to-build-a-bridge/) Fredrik Nael > [“Victory takes sides on people who are more compatible with nature and future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/victory-takes-sides-on-people-who-are-more-compatible-with-nature-and/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I used to say, 'Mad' takes on both sides.' We even used to rake the hippies over the coals. They were protesting the Vietnam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-feldstein/i-used-to-say-mad-takes-on-both-sides-we-even-used-to-rake-the/) [Al Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-feldstein/) > [When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that's something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gehrig/when-you-have-a-wonderful-mother-in-law-who-takes-sides-with-you-in/) [Lou Gehrig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gehrig/) > [Poetry, when it takes sides, when it proposes solutions, isn't any smarter than anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/poetry-when-it-takes-sides-when-it-proposes-solutions-isn-t-any/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [I had a couple of agents, but then I went on my own. I thought I could negotiate my own deals and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-grobbelaar/i-had-a-couple-of-agents-but-then-i-went-on-my-own-i-thought-i-could/) [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-grobbelaar/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) ## More by Gary Bettman > [This is a tragedy for the players. 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