Introduction
Alliances in business are a natural route for development — but not all contracting relationships can truly be seen as alliances. A good, trusting, and open relationship is essential for a long-term and successful alliance — and this needs to be practiced by the negotiators involved.
Negotiation is inevitably at the heart of every process to achieve what you want, whether in an agreement, bargaining for an item, or closing a deal. At the end of each negotiation, the goal is to seek a win/win outcome — an essential characteristic of long-lasting alliances.
This training program provides an essential framework for effective negotiation, which is vital for building and exploiting an alliance — from relationship building and critical thinking to prioritizing goals and recognizing possible ploys encountered along the way.
Course Objectives of Effective Negotiation, Persuasion and Critical Thinking
By the end of the training program, participants will have:
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Developed a framework for analyzing current alliances and created an effective negotiation strategy.
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Practiced and enhanced skills for influencing others.
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Gained confidence as a trusted negotiator.
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Adopted appropriate behaviors for each negotiation stage to deliver results.
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Successfully applied the principles of persuasion to any negotiation situation.
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Recognized and countered the most common negotiating ploys.
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Prioritized and planned negotiation strategies through critical thinking.
Course Process of Effective Negotiation, Persuasion and Critical Thinking
The program combines presentations with interactive practical exercises, supported by activities and case studies.
Delegates are encouraged to participate actively, relating negotiation and persuasion strategies to their workplace needs.
Core Competencies of Effective Negotiation, Persuasion and Critical Thinking
Participants will develop the following competencies:
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Appreciate how an alliance can prosper from constructive relationships.
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Discover how to effectively persuade and influence others.
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Learn to apply the key elements of influence.
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Utilize various communication skills to send convincing messages.
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Be more aware of different communication styles.
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Use critical thinking to identify key objectives and desired results from the negotiation process.
Course Outlines of Effective Negotiation, Persuasion and Critical Thinking
Day One – Developing Alliances
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Characteristics of a strategic alliance and the effects of market dominance.
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Culture and perception — and their impact on building alliances.
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Building trust through communication and achieving results for the alliance, considering its “life cycle.”
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Personality strengths and weaknesses in negotiations.
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Minimizing communication blockers to maintain relationships.
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Development review and action planning.
Day Two – Influence and Persuasion Skills in Managing Alliances
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Challenges of meetings — group and individual strategies.
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Positive influence of listening in challenging situations — good and bad news.
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Applying rules of influential presentations to maximize impact.
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Maintaining compatible body language and using logic, credibility, and passion.
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Feedback and action planning.
Day Three – Strategy in Negotiation Skills for Partners and Allies
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Steps in win/win negotiation.
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Keys to collaborative bargaining in partnerships.
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Leverage — what it is and how to use it.
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Negotiation tactics and ploys.
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Dealing with difficult negotiators and barriers.
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Ethics in negotiation.
Day Four – Higher-Level Negotiation Skills for Challenging Situations
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Listening and responding to signals and informal information.
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Recovering from reversals, errors, and challenges.
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Developing a climate of trust.
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Advanced conversational techniques.
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Concentrating action on the needs of alliance partners.
Day Five – Maintaining Alliances: Critical Thinking for Decision-Making
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Gaining control and using information — formal and informal.
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Identifying sources and testing assumptions.
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Framing the problem.
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Decision-making under pressure.
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Reviewing strategic alliances and building a personal action plan.
