The Negotiation Process

Overview/Description
 "Let us never fear to negotiate. But let us never negotiate out of fear." What do you think John F. Kennedy was thinking about when he spoke these words? Have you ever felt fearful while negotiating? Negotiating is unavoidable. It is a natural part of life, like the emotion of fear. Understanding that fear is a form of stress can help explain why it can crop up during the negotiation process if you are unprepared. Feelings of uncertainty can wreak havoc with any deal. The intent of this course is to prepare you to negotiate from a place of strength, not fear. The process and stages of negotiation are explained in a step by step, practical way. Investigator, presenter, bargain-hunter, and winner--you'll explore how to assume each of these roles as you learn about the essential aspects of what you need to know and do before, during, and following negotiation. From the beginning, you'll discover how to ask for what you want and how it is possible to achieve a win-win solution in any negotiation situation.

Target Audience
 Managers, supervisors, team leaders, and other experienced business professionals

Expected Duration
2.5 hours

Lesson Objectives:

Investigate and Plan

  • recognize the reasons why the investigative and planning stages in negotiation are important.
  • match the examples with the three areas a negotiator should always investigate before opening discussions.
  • select the environmental factors that are likely to affect negotiations in a specific scenario.
  • sequence the steps involved in successfully planning outcomes in negotiation.

    • Propose and Present

  • recognize the benefits of doing a good job at the presentation stage of negotiation.
  • choose the solid tips based on the STAR model for organizing a presentation effectively.
  • select the tips for successfully using visual aids to enhance your presentation.
  • identify the successful techniques for delivering a presentation.

    • Bargain, Bargain, Bargain

  • recognize the importance of successfully completing the bargaining stage in negotiation.
  • sequence the steps needed to present a proactive bargaining position.
  • differentiate among given statements as examples of persuasion--a positive tactic--from coercion--a negative tactic.
  • identify the accepted guidelines for making concessions and compromises.

    • Agree and Win

  • recognize the importance of carrying out the agreement stage in negotiation effectively.
  • identify the signals that could indicate that it's time to close the agreement in a given situation.
  • match the key elements of an effective agreement with the appropriate provisions that address each.
  • match the negotiation aspects to be evaluated with the appropriate questions to ask when evaluating that aspect.

    • Course Number: COMM0503