Leadership Development – Page 25 – STL

see how our workshops provide immediately applicable SKILLS.

As part of our Public Schedule portfolio, STL offers a Negotiation Skills Course to a range of organisations, from banking and finance to one of the leading on-line global travel companies.

What they have in common is that they have identified a ‘negotiation skills profile’, namely employees who are progressing into a more challenging role; be that in sales, management, leadership or business development.

Each of them has one goal in mind, which is to become better at negotiating contracts, timelines, milestones and new business, in order to gain a competitive edge in their respective industries and increase productivity.

Negotiation and Influencing Skills — Negotiation courses and Influencing Skills

Benefits

Their HR/Learning and Development departments choose this particular course because they want to employ techniques and strategies to negotiate more successfully with others, achieve a win-win situation that addresses the needs of both parties, rather than making compromises or concessions, whilst at the same time preserving the relationship.

Amongst other things, they are looking to:

Gain a better understanding of the negotiation process, namely when to use different styles such as; transactional, collaborative and creative, and how to determine the best fit for each scenario
Excel at the preparation and planning stage, which is key to success in all forms of negotiation. This means anticipating objections, which questions might arise and how best to tackle them
Improve their communication style, so that it is geared specifically to the person/group they’re talking to
Identify the best way to initiate, propose and achieve a win-win outcome by going in hard on the problem and soft on the people.
Learn how to determine limits, address the power balance, learn deep-level enquiring and listening skills which will place them in a position of strength and increase self-confidence
Apply contemporary, tried and tested tools and techniques to open, conduct and close negotiations successfully.

Principled Negotiation

We draw on cutting edge material at the forefront of negotiation techniques to accomplish this, including the following 4 principles, which come from the best-selling book ‘Getting to Yes’ by William Ury and Roger Fisher, members of the Harvard Negotiation Project:

Separate the people from the problem
Focus on interests, not positions
Invent options for mutual gain
Insist on using objective criteria

Learning Deliverables for Negotiators

Our adaptation of ‘principled negotiation’ avoids the usual bargaining, haggling, drawn-out discussions and dissatisfaction that often arise when both parties cannot agree on a win-win outcome.

Interesting research by Harvard Business School (Law), where Fisher still teaches, has shown this to be the most effective method by far for closing successful negotiations.

Principled Negotiation forms a powerful backbone to the course, which in addition to our proprietary materials makes for highly engaging discussions amongst the group. One of the main benefits of the course is the fact that delegates from different industries are able to openly sharing their thoughts, hopes, experiences and challenges around current corporate negotiation techniques.

A significant amount of role-playing activities and problem solving meshes with our materials, you can see light-bulb moments happening as delegates re-frame their current experiences and learn how they can put this to use to increase productivity and improve relationships in their individual areas of the business.

Two areas that come up time and time again are the need to preserve relationships and feeling uncomfortable with silences. These are both tackled in detail on the day. We also cover a range of scenarios familiar to all employees, such as negotiating a pay rise, time off and flexible working.

As the trainer, it’s always gratifying to facilitate Negotiation and Influencing Skills. With 80% of this course being practical, delegates emerge with a newfound confidence in their skills and often form lasting connections with peers from a large array of industries on these types of high-impact courses.

Feedback

From our Negotiation course London

“The Trainer has articulated a clear message of how to demonstrate extremely good negotiation skills. I found the course very interactive, which has been very beneficial. I will be able to use the skills I have gained and practice them in real life situations. I would recommend this course to other people.”

“I usually hate forced activities and role plays but Garret made me feel very comfortable from the start of the session. I think his enthusiasm is liberating and he really engages you. It wasn’t an overload of information and the relevant examples really helped me understand the theories behind negotiation.”

(more feedback)

Finally…

As a trainer, developing negotiating and influencing skills is something that I am passionate about. This is one of our most popular courses, simply because we negotiate in every area of our lives. Having taught this course to delegates with a range of needs from those who negotiate multi-million-pound deals to those who simply acknowledge that they have skills-gaps at a most basic level, there is something for everyone in this course, and every individual viewpoint is thoroughly considered when delivering it.

For those who are ready to progress to the next level, we deliver an outstanding and highly effective Advanced Negotiation Skills Class which follows on naturally from this one.

It’s all in the understanding….

Do you know anyone who practices assertiveness at work, and gets it right? Ask ten people what assertiveness is and you’ll get ten different answers. Naturally passive people can see it as a hurdle to climb, yet at the same time feel small for not standing up for their rights. Others see it as a legitimate way to voice their opinions over others, rather than create a fair working practice between parties.

Some cultures see western assertiveness as rude, so intentions have to be sincere on both sides. The trouble is nobody is really taught at school how to be assertive in the right way – and assertiveness is a learnt behaviour.

STL training Courses London on Assertiveness — Powerful tips to be naturally assertive at work (assertiveness training London)

So what is it?

It is about balance. It is having the confidence, patience and desire to lay out your needs and wants transparently and authentically, whilst considering the needs and wants of all concerned.

“Assertiveness expresses our needs and wants in a non-threatening way, all the while being respectful of the other’s needs and wants and is done so in the light of empathy, but not overly emotional.”

NEVER go into a conversation when you are feeling upset or angry. Never assume a militant stance. Calmness and consideration are both key, as is deep, receptive listening.

One of the benefits of being assertive is that it gives you a better understanding of yourself and the value you can offer an organisation.

Not only are you better able to negotiate “win-win” solutions, you can gain common ground with the other party much more quickly and effectively.

Typically, people who are problem solvers and ‘doers’ are seen as great managers and are generally well-liked.

Most of all, you’ll become less anxious about voicing what needs to be said and won’t feel victimised when things don’t quite go as planned. You are ultimately more likely find a better working solution, whilst keeping clear and appropriate boundaries in place.

Employing Assertiveness Techniques

Use “I” statements and powerful words such as “I strongly feel”. Make sure you understand how the other person is viewing the situation. You can only operate successfully from building strong rapport and actively engaging with their point of view. An empathic response will allow them to see that you consider them too.

Always talk about the desired outcome that will serve both parties. If you have to become firmer, do so by asking them if they, too, have this outcome in mind.

If you start to feel emotional, ask for time to compose your thoughts. When you’re ready to begin again, use emphatic words such as “will” instead of “could or should” “ I want”, instead of “I would like” and so on. It’s about making your position clear.

There are many more techniques which will not only bring successful outcomes but earn you both respect and appreciation. These are the basic keys to be more naturally assertive at work.