Developing Potential Australia

Negotiation skills

One day

People negotiate every day at work and home. This enjoyable workshop is packed with techniques for dealing with difficult people and finding solutions that will satisfy all parties.  Throughout the course a variety of case studies and exercises are used to practice the techniques. There is also plenty of time for participants to raise specific issues and work out strategies to resolve them.

Outcomes

• Identify your objectives from a discussion
• Clarify the various issues that need to be resolved
• Work through the issues and stay on track
• Handle tactics and bullies
• Say ‘no’ respectfully
• Find an outcome that satisfies all parties

Preparing

1. Setting your objectives
   • What do you want out of the negotiation?
   • What are the objectives of the other parties?
   • What do you do if you don’t know what the other party wants?
2. Identifying your fallback
   • What is your next best option if this negotiation fails?
3. Prioritising the issues
   • What have you got to offer? (expertise, staff, money, respect etc.)
   • How to evaluate the importance of each issue
4. Setting limits
   • What is the minimum you can accept for each issue
5. Planning for problems
   • Identifying contingency plans for problems or hostile responses
   • How to prepare for the unexpected

Negotiating

1. Getting issues on the table
   • Clarifying everyone's agenda
   • What if people don't want to tell you the issues they want to discuss?
2. Uncovering needs
   • How to uncover needs and clarify your understanding
3. Inventing options
   • How to create possible solutions to meet the needs of both parties
4. ‘Trading’ issues
   • How to use standards and precedents to justify your position
   • How to question other people’s positions without attacking them
5. Concluding
   • How to summarise the final outcome
   • What should be recorded in writing e.g. in minutes or a follow-up email?

Dealing with tactics

• What are the most common tactics e.g. take it or leave it, withholding information?
• How to respond calmly and respectfully to tactics or threats
• Simple techniques to buy yourself time to think during a discussion

Persuading people (Encouraging Agreement)

• How to emphasise the benefits of your proposal to the other party
• Tips to avoid getting sidetracked by minor issues

Saying ‘no’ respectfully

• The 3 step structure for expressing your views respectfully
• How to give criticism without getting personal

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