Skills for effective problem-solving collaboration
This workshop is designed to help participants gain insights into how to transform an adversarial approach to negotiating into a more effective problem-solving collaboration, producing better outcomes for all parties. The workshop is designed to develop participants’ awareness of the complexities of negotiation, equip them with a framework for understanding, diagnosing and leading the negotiation process, and enhance their practical skills through hands-on experience and feedback.
The conceptual framework for the workshop is Roger Fisher’s model of “principled negotiation,” as set out in the book he co-authored, Getting to Yes. The learning methods used are fun and interactive, making use of role plays based on typical workplace conflict situations. After completing each exercise or role play, the trainer will lead participants through a systematic review, thereby reinforcing a set of practical guidelines for use in future negotiations.
Participants are provided with a copy of Getting to Yes for themselves.
The workshop is focused on every day workplace conflicts. For formal management/labour negotiations and disputes, VTC can provide counsel or assistance on a consultation basis.
Program content
- The complexities of the negotiation process: how to identify your current style; how to identify and challenge your current assumptions
- The “principled negotiation” model: how to relate the five key steps of the model to your current experience; how to prepare for, open, conduct and review a negotiation
- Difficult tactics and behaviour: how to respond effectively to difficult tactics and behaviour
- The importance of building long-term relationships: how and when to engage the other parties; how to manage their differences in perception
- Communication skills to influence and persuade: how to use language to nurture a collaborative, problem-solving approach
- Small group exercises and role plays: participating in exercises to enhance particular skills; observing others demonstrating their newly-acquired negotiation tools and techniques; relating theory to practice; conducting a detailed review of a simulated negotiation
Learning objectives
- Develop an enhanced awareness of the complexities of the negotiation process
- Identify and challenge some of your current assumptions
- Apply a framework for diagnosing the issues and preparing for the negotiation
- Apply guidelines for opening and leading the negotiation in a way that maximises your chances of securing a favourable outcome for all parties
- Develop your communication skills through receiving immediate feedback
- Discover the underlying interests in a negotiation
- Create mutually beneficial and lasting solutions for all parties
- Understand how to build and strengthen relationships with the other parties over time
- Learn how to deal effectively with difficult tactics, people
- Build a solid foundation for improving your negotiating skills over time
Who should attend
- Executives
- Managers
- Team leaders
- Project managers
- Sales representatives
- Administrative assistants
- Engineers
- Health professionals
- Teachers
for more information or to book a course, contact us.