Effective Negotiation Techniques

People, project managers, and organizations negotiate every day. In this one-day course, participants will examine different types of negotiation techniques and when to best use them. First, the term “negotiation” must be defined. Does negotiation mean compromise and giving up things we should keep? Can we negotiate by taking unilateral action or will that cause a less-than-desirable outcome? Although we must use our intuition and experience to know when to negotiate, we can get better outcomes with some knowledge, skills, and techniques from which to choose the best negotiation strategy. The course content will explore the relationship between power, rights, and interests in both formal negotiations and “everyday” negotiations around priorities and scheduling with a team or department. By the end of the session, participants will become familiar with a variety of negotiation strategies and when to select (or change to) one technique over another. Course agenda can be found below:

(Note – Case studies selection based on client preference and will include both commercial and public sector examples)

• Welcome, Introduction, and syllabus overview
• Distinguish “negotiation” from “bargaining”
• Recognize “negotiation” as a type of conflict resolution
• Identify one’s personal preference in conflict
• Activity: Conflict Management Inventory

Module 1: Bargaining Techniques

• Common tactics for getting what you want
• Case Study 1
• Document insights and lessons learned

Module 2: Principled Negotiation Characteristics

• Examine Key Strategies
• Focus on interests, not positions
• Separate people from issues
• Develop options for mutual benefit
• Use objective criteria to measure successful outcome
• Explore a Four-Step Process
• Planning
• Case Study 2
• Engagement
• Agreement
• Case Study 3
• Follow-through

Module 3: When They Are Not Negotiating

• Review six strategies to maintain your focus on principled negotiation
• Examine when to select a new approach, including hard bargaining
• Case Study 4

Summary and Next Steps

Review class and individual lessons learned from case studies

Create personal Application Plan (how participant will use content at work)

Final Questions

Course Evaluations

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Examine the relationship between power, rights, and interests
• Recognize “hard bargaining” strategies
• Explore the characteristics of principled-based negotiation
• Value “interest” over “position”
• Develop options for mutual benefit
• Document objective criteria to measure success of the negotiation agreement
• Review when to negotiate and when to leave a negotiation based on identifying alternatives
• Practice negotiation skills
• Create a plan to apply the content to their current work.