Mastering Negotiation, Persuasion & Critical Thinking

About the Course

Negotiation is about far more than money and business. It’s about dealing with people and it’s also about getting the outcome you want from many different business situations with both clients and colleagues. Mostly, we negotiate with people we have an ongoing business relationship with rather than people we will see once only and never again. Because these are really business partners, we should want to achieve a Win/Win situation as the best outcome for both parties rather than viewing negotiation as a competition in which we are the sole victors. You also need to know and understand who you are dealing with and be sensitive to their situations. All this means that human relationship skills, persuasion, strategic and critical thinking, and negotiation skills are involved. 

So, this 5-day interactive Mastering Negotiation, Persuasion & Critical Thinking training course is about something other than BATNA and the theoretical approaches to negotiation that delegates may have covered previously. Rather, it focuses on enabling today’s global negotiators to become proficient in a diverse range of practical new competencies and soft skills to reach mutually beneficial agreements. It will begin by delving into detailed planning and preparation, including analysing the negotiation style and strategic profiling of the negotiation partners. This training program will then move on to explore many new and vital aspects of successful negotiating, including emotional influences and biases (including behavioural economics), the impact of communications (including intercultural interference), and dealing with conflict and difficult situations, before moving on to practice and prepare for your successful negotiations in the future.

Core Objectives

After completing this training course, each delegate will gain a series of vital skills that will significantly impact their negotiating performance.

The delegates will achieve the following objectives:

• Know how to review and assess their negotiation style
• Understand deeply the different types of negotiators
• Learn important new skills in planning and preparation for negotiations
• Understand the ability to influence outcomes more successfully
• Know how to address intercultural interference and misunderstandings
• Appreciate variable communication styles and approaches
• Gain greater confidence when facing conflict and difficulties
• Know the ways to develop successful negotiation strategies

Training Approach

This training course uses various proven adult learning techniques to ensure effective assimilation and retention of the information presented. Its highly practical and interactive program will prompt delegates to reflect on their negotiation style and practice. Throughout the training program, the subject matter expert will share many examples, anecdotes, and case studies relating to negotiation, persuasion, and critical thinking. 

The Attendees

Negotiation skills are not confined solely to salespeople. All managers and many team members need some expertise in the art of negotiating.  However, this training course would be valuable to almost anyone, as the skills covered are just as valuable in daily life as in a business setting.

It is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will greatly benefit:

• Sales and Business Development Professionals
• Project Managers
• Lawyers, Accountants, and Anyone in Professional Services
• Outsourcing Specialists
• Procurement Teams
• Finance Directors
• HR Managers and Professionals
• International Business Executives
• Executives within a Global Team

Daily Discussion

DAY ONE: PLANNING & PREPARATION

• Setting the Scene
• Defining Negotiation
• You and Your Negotiation Profile
• The Dynamics of Professional Relationships
• Understanding Our Negotiation Partners
• Strategic Profiling
• Good Practice in Preparation

DAY TWO: EMOTIONAL INFLUENCES & BIASES

• Dispelling the Myths about Negotiation
• Different Types of Negotiators
• Intercultural Influences
• Emotional Expression during Negotiations
• Persuasion vs Enforcing
• You and Your Influencing Style
• Behavioural Economics in Negotiation

DAY THREE: THE IMPACT OF COMMUNICATIONS

• Different Communication Styles
• Language of Negotiation
• Communication Pointers and Signals
• Small Talk and Punctuality
• The Power of Questions
• Avoiding Misunderstandings
• You and Your Communication Style

DAY FOUR: DEALING WITH CONFLICT & DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS

• Cultural Factors Impacting Negotiations
• Defining Conflict and Aggression
• Positive Assertiveness
• Dealing with Difficult Negotiators
• How People Become Convinced
• Different Conflict Handling Styles
• You and Your Conflict Handling Style

DAY FIVE: NEGOTIATION IN PRACTICE

• The Full Negotiation Cycle
• Revisiting Your Negotiation Style
• How to Negotiate – The Strategy
• High Context vs Low Context Negotiation Strategies
• Negotiation Role Play
• Post Negotiation Skills
• Personal Action Planning