Win-Win Negotiation

About the Program

Successful negotiation is more about mind-set than muscle. If you approach negotiation as a winner-loser, zero-sum game, you might ink the deal, but don’t count on it being implemented—especially if the support of your “adversary” is required.

Think of negotiation as a win-win process, and both sides will walk away from the table eager to go from discussion to positive action. But attitude is not enough. Negotiating is a capability that requires a keen understanding of strategy, tactics, human dynamics, and information requirements.

Whether your job requires negotiating internally, with other managers and departments, or externally, with clients, vendors, and legal representatives, this program will provide you with the range of win-win mind-sets, the core capabilities to excel as a negotiator, and a proven process to ensure that you—and your counterparts—leave the negotiating table as winners fully committed to the outcome.

The program begins with an introduction to the most common negotiating styles. These serve as a template that enables participants to assess their negotiating style and that of the individuals on the other side of the table. The GDS five-step negotiating process—preparation, strategy setting, tactics, closure, and follow up—will be explained and illustrated, and participants will practice applying the process to a variety of situations.

Case Study:  Win-Win Negotiation

Who Should Attend

Any manager or individual contributor who must reach across organizational functions or units to gain buy-in or approval for a desired outcome will benefit from this program. It will be equally beneficial to those who negotiate externally: salespeople, those with customer-facing responsibilities, those who negotiate licensing and legal agreements. Leaders and members of intact negotiating teams, individually or as a group, should also attend.

Learning Objectives

At the end of “Win-Win Negotiation,” participants will have learned:

• The five key mind-sets needed to negotiate successfully and consistently achieve win-win outcomes

• A proven negotiation process and how it can be applied to any negotiating situation

• How to prepare for a negotiation session

• How to assess the negotiation style of the other side—and adapt their own style in response

• The best tactics to deal with unexpected issues, as they arise

• How to move from stalemate to settlement

• How to build lasting relationships with negotiating counterparts

Learning Format

Concept briefings, case studies, role-plays; coaching for typical on-job negotiation situations

Program Duration

One day

Note: This program can be expanded in order to prepare an intact negotiating team for a specific negotiation. In a customized two-day session, case studies and role-plays are replaced with analysis of the issues and players the team will be facing. By the end of the session, the team is thoroughly prepared for the negotiation, possessing a fully developed negotiating strategy and understanding of all the contingency plans and tactics required for success.