Advanced Negotiating Skills

Building relationships and lasting deals

Negotiating is the key to resolving problems, seizing opportunities and preventing difficulties. Like it or not, negotiations are an inescapable part of our personal and professional lives. The best negotiations result in a beneficial outcome for everyone as the solutions are more likely to be durable. Many leadership challenges require skilful negotiations: persuading people to change, keeping people motivated and serving customers. Persuasion is not merely winning the argument nor stating your opinion, neither is it coercion. It is a legitimate attempt to influence others.

Two elements are essential for a successful negotiation: understanding the needs of the other side (the potential for a win-win solution) and understanding your needs (the mantra).

This toolkit explains how to reach a lasting agreement and deal with complex, advanced negotiations.

Length: 26 pages

Contents

Action Checklist: Win-Win Deals, the Negotiating Mantra and Assertiveness

• Win-win negotiating 
• Using a negotiating mantra
• Assertive negotiating and handling different types of behaviour

Action Checklist: the Negotiating Process

• Preparing to negotiate
• Introducing the negotiating session positively
• Discovering the other side’s priorities and motivation
• Pushing for exit points (ask three times) 
• Presenting your position 
• Debating, resolving and agreeing outcomes
• Confirming the outcomes and closing the session positively

Key Concepts: Ensuring a Successful Negotiation

• Recognise the criteria for a good negotiation
• Establish the right mantra
• Separate the people from the problem
• Use the rule of three 
• Start by exercising power and setting the rules 
• Choose the right time and place
• Prepare your arguments and facts 
• Recognise and handle ambiguity 
• Empathise
• Build genuine trust
• Overcome a weak negotiating position    

Avoiding Problems

Practical Principles, Tools and Techniques – includes detailed explanations of practical techniques: what they are, how to handle them and how to ensure success

Further Action

Further Information

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