Enhancement of Negotiation Skills and Contract Management in the Public Sector

Course Overview:

This recently updated, comprehensive course will enhance delegates’ ability to negotiate effectively - a critical competency for internal and external business negotiations. It will equip them with a detailed understanding of the negotiation process and an appreciation of the elements of planning a strategy to achieve workable solutions and success. It covers the key stages of negotiation, considers how disputes arise, and provides delegates with the skills to follow a structured process to achieve results. The delegates will be introduced to different negotiation styles, and tactics and at the same time learn how to recognize and counter them effectively

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate their understanding of the significance of planning and objective setting
• Understand how to use interpersonal skills effectively during a negotiation
• Describe how to achieve ‘win-win’ outcomes within the bargaining process
• Identify the causes of disagreements & disputes and prevent escalation
• Describe the use of strategies to resolve the causes of disputes

Course Coverage:

Topic 1: Finding a Collaborative Position When Aiming for Agreement:

• The basis of a negotiated settlement
• Disputes and the Need for resolution
• The place of negotiation in the contractual resolution process
• Distributive and integrative approach to negotiations
• Emotion, understanding and perceptions                     
• Ethics and the Impact on the negotiation process

Topic 2: Strategic Approaches to Negotiating Required Outcomes:

• Preparation and goal setting to maintain focus
• The key stages in planning a negotiation
• Information needs and sources of negotiation power
• Taking positions during the negotiation process
• Drafting your proposal which will open the discussion
• The discussion and importance of timing when closing deals

Topic 3: Negotiation Relationships and Team Dynamics:

• Non-verbal communication and the interpretation of body language
• Communication skill models used in negotiation         
• Proposals, influence and persuasion
• Establishing commitment
• Building the negotiating team
• Managing multi-party negotiations              

Topic 4: The Impact of Culture on the Negotiation Process:

• Interests, positions and escalation
• Why are international negotiations different?                       
• The influence of culture on negotiation                            
• Stakeholder power behind the interests in negotiation
• Ploys and tactics and how to respond effectively
• Negotiation best practice

Topic 5: Resolving Differences and Difficult Situations:

• The negotiator as a mediator in the process
• Handling difficult negotiators
• Negotiation case study
• Team allocation and simulation exercise
• The Do’s and Don’ts of Negotiating
• Improving what we do - action planning

Targeted Participants:

• Personnel from a wide range of ‘results-based’ business disciplines
• Company representatives who are engaged in national and international negotiations
• Departmental heads with the responsibility to drive change through collaboration
• Those who have a current or planned negotiation with internal as well as external “suppliers or customers”
• Delegates with experience in negotiating but want to improve their results