Supply participants with a 'negotiation system'
Many providers of negotiation skills development initiatives approach negotiation training as something that is complicated instead of complex - in other words, they promote a method to negotiation that is sequential & linear (advocating for instance that there are a certain number of steps involving all negotiations).
This kind of complicated & linear approach will empower individuals & organisations with the tools to endure simple & one dimensional negotiations but will leave them dangerously unprotected in multi-party, multi-issue, complex negotiations.
It would be a good wager that most professional golfers are better golfers than their coaches. Why then do they employ coaches?
Because it is almost impossible to examine one's own game objectively. When at the top level of golf, as in any sport, we understand that the borders between success and failure can be very small indeed. We learn through this affiliation that the professional golfer's coach understands that his 'master's' game is mostly brilliant.
It is by paying attention to the small detail that changes in results are achieved.
Business negotiation is similar to golf in many areas. To be a rounded business negotiator, one needs to have conquered all the key elements that represent leading practice in the field of negotiation.
An absolute and rounded method should be pursued that covers the four key factors of all negotiations: Vision, Value, Process & Relationship. As in golf, it is vital that we first comprehend how we respond in our negotiations when under pressure, before we learn to deploy new skills.
Research proves that only 5 to 25 % of the material shared during a business negotiation session will be retained by participants. So as to guarantee the application of negotiation best practices in the workplace it is vital that people should be supplied with a negotiation system aiming at:
* Provide them with a standardised negotiation preparation check list (ideally customised to support the business negotiation strategy & process).
* Provide them with easy access to all the negotiation strategies, tactics & techniques that are beneficial to support their negotiations.
You should safeguard not to invest in an academic training program that has little practical application within your environment. At the same time you don't want to focus on the equivalent of a street fighters negotiation program that is only directed at tactical negotiation tricks & techniques.
It is best to find a course that combines sound academically researched and validated principles with proven practical credentials.
Create a best practice negotiation supporting network
What happens after the training intervention? This is a very important question.
Will you provide the participants with 1-on-1 coaching to help them apply the best practice principles to their professional negotiations?
Will you be doing short follow up programmes at regular intervals to reinforce the learning?
Will you develop a negotiation knowledge base so delegates can access experience & information already in the possession of the business?
As you can see, in many ways the training program is only the start of the process. To ensure maximum savings in time, reduction in expenses and increases in profits, it is important that you develop and instill a best and leading practice based negotiating culture within your business.