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Practical Negotiation Skills
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Getting to grips with the facts, thinking about language and how to present oneself, establishing solid boundaries and knowing when to reconsider are all part of this exciting negotiation skills activity!
Teams of Buyers (retailers) and Sellers (or suppliers) receive a one-page brief explaining their respective situations and achievement targets. There are also constraints; Buyers have a very specific shopping list based on last year’s sales and Sellers have old stock to clear before they can produce too much new stock.
Teams then receive a Preparation Sheet to help plan for their negotiation. They must agree their ‘ideal outcome’, their ‘target’ and the ‘worst case scenario’.
Buyers and Sellers now meet face-to-face to negotiate - and secure the best possible outcome. They’re allowed up to three ‘time-outs’ to confer in private and re-align strategies. How will teams operate? They may come clean, lay their cards on the table and opt for a joint problem-solving approach - or they may keep the information to themselves and try to win one over on the others.After 40 minutes both teams complete and (hopefully!) sign an Agreement Form recording the outcome. Will negotiators reach a win-win outcome in this carefully balanced situation? What constitutes a good outcome?
All teams complete a Questionnaire on performance on both sides of the table - all useful material for the Debrief. A handout of Key Points summarises the learning for participants.
- to plan carefully for negotiations
- to prepare targets and fall-back positions
- to be prepared to compromise
- to know when to make concessions
- to be aware of the other party and their body language
- to know when to put their cards on the table
1 Introduce the activity.
2 Divide the group into teams of Buyers and Sellers.
3 Issue Team Briefs and Preparation Forms.
4 Allow 40 minutes for teams to prepare for the negotiation and complete the preparation forms
5 Allow teams to meet at ‘negotiation tables’, observing the teams in action.
6 After 40 minutes issue Agreement Forms for completion by each team. Then issue Performance Summary Forms to each team for completion.
7 Lead a Debrief on the issues raised, relate back to the workplace and issue Key Points Handout.
Trainer’s Notes provide full guidance.
T. Lawton, Consultant (re trails prior to publication)) to publication)Typical, very realistic negotiation - well received by participants. I was very impressed at the level of engagement by participants.
The perceptions each team had of the other (on the summary forms) were revealing – and usefully explored in the debrief.
Those who prepared well and had a definite strategy did besto be updated 31-Jan-10.
- Trainer’s Notes
- Buyers Briefs
- Sellers Briefs
- Preparation Form
- Agreement Forms
- Summary Forms
- Key Points Handout
- ‘Key Points’ Handout
