Negotiation Skills Masterclass

Name: Negotiation Skills Masterclass
Availability: InStock

This course will develop your confidence and self-belief in negotiations.

Group of colleagues collaborating on a project and sharing their thoughts and ideas on it

Live virtual class | Delivered over two half-day sessions | 7 CPD hours

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In-house pricing available – often more cost-effective for teams of 10+

Download: Course Outline

Learn how to plan and prepare for negotiations more effectively, including setting objectives, identifying deal-breakers, and evaluating options
Build confidence in handling difficult negotiations professionally, including making proposals, managing deadlock, and knowing when to say no or walk away
Improve your ability to achieve better outcomes while preserving relationships

Part One: Introduction

What are your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to negotiation?
What do we mean by negotiation?
How does it differ from persuasion?
The negotiation process
“Soft” parts of the negotiation
Negotiation skills training assesses the importance of behavioural elements
The importance of psychological elements
Setting realistic and achievable objectives
The minimum communication skills needed
Assessing information in real-time
Establishing rapport and setting parameters
Is a Win-Win situation a realistic goal?
Ice-breaker: Two to four participants - A mega-famous but ageing footballer is looking for his last big contract with the club he has served throughout his career. He knows, as does the club, that personal problems and some inconsistency are issues, but the club still makes a fortune from shirt sales and other image rights. With either the player and his agent or the club officials authorised to negotiate, can an acceptable deal be reached?

The “Interests”

What does this mean?
What is the significance of interests?
Understanding the difference between positions and interests
Identifying and prioritising your interests
Identifying and understanding the clients/counterparties’ interests
Effective negotiation skills training covers the common mistakes when handling interests
When is hard bargaining a good idea?
The critical elements of an effective negotiation
Exercise: Two to four participants - “Closure”: A deal will not close and will expire soon. You have been sent to see the clients by the CEO to establish why there are delays. Can you get the deal completed by the expiration date?

The “Options”

What do we mean by this term?
Planning and preparing for options
Having a clear idea of deal breakers
Generating and evaluating possible options
Identifying your ideal outcome
Identifying your minimum acceptable outcome
Common errors when generating options are thoroughly reviewed and addressed in this negotiation skills masterclass
Exercise: Two to four participants -“The Downsize”: As the main board directors persuade two junior, but respected, department heads to lose some of their people as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Will you achieve your goal, or will your colleagues get their way instead?

Part Two: Understanding Outcomes

The importance of setting an option matrix
Fully evaluate the options
Being realistic about where you think it will end
Is there a “win” or would a near-win compromise be better?
Setting clear objectives during the negotiation
Being prepared to lose when it makes commercial sense
When to say no and be prepared to walk away
Exercise: Two to four participants – A client calls as a business owner to share with you that they are reluctant to sign off on a deal you have brokered and for which approval will soon expire. The reasons may not be as straightforward as they seem. Can you put their minds at rest, or not?

Negotiation Skills: The Process & Soft Skills

The value of soft skills cannot be underestimated; this negotiation skills course explores soft skills
What are soft skills, and why do they matter?
Making proposals and giving and receiving concessions
Breaking Deadlock by avoiding the T-junction in the first place
Agreeing on a remedy
Understanding the negotiator’s role
Keeping it professional – never personal
The key stages of the process
Giving information to help the flow
Reading signals or having a member of your team for this role
Using the initial plan as a guideline – but not too rigidly
Avoid too many assumptions until they are tested
Expect the unexpected occasionally
Managing the meeting/discussion process
Probing to develop an understanding
Before our next exercise, this corporate negotiation training explores reaching an agreement – even if it’s only a baby step
Exercise: Two to four participants - “Master of the Universe”: You are summoned to a meeting with the CEO and the deputy. You are certain this is a long-overdue promotion. Be prepared to negotiate the best possible terms.

Challenging Psychological Elements

How to deal with different types of people
Key personality traits – most of us are a mix
Behavioural approaches and body language
The professional aggressor
Deadlocks, Standstills & Concessions
Tricks, traps and tactics – but be careful, use these sparingly and avoid them if they fail
When and where to negotiate – why digital media and the telephone are not ideal
Exercise: Two to Four participants - “The Presentation”. You are asked to present a detailed synopsis of your product/service to clients. Will you be able to give them enough detail in this live negotiation?

Negotiation Course Conclusion

Summary
Debrief

Redcliffe's negotiation skills training specialist is a distinguished financial sector industry expert. His exemplary track record began at Lloyds Bank. Here, he quickly advanced to a senior management position in private banking and wealth management. His expertise attracted the attention of a prominent merchant bank, where he served as a main board director overseeing risk management.

Drawing on this extensive experience, he provides invaluable insights and actionable negotiation strategies in advanced workshops, providing participants with the skills to handle real-world negotiations with ease.

With more than 40 years of experience in the UK banking and financial services sectors, this trainer has developed and delivered soft skills workshops for professionals at all levels. His considerable expertise establishes him as an authority in the art of negotiation, particularly corporate negotiation training.

Currently serving as an external Master Trainer for HSBC and the Bank of China, he has facilitated a wide range of advanced programs. At HSBC, he played a pivotal role in screening and assessing prospective and existing trainers for their soft skills capabilities. At the Bank of China, he designed and implemented a comprehensive presentation skills program.

Our lead is a hands-on, highly adaptable facilitator with a proven track record of exceptional feedback. He excels at engaging participants at all levels of seniority.

His expertise spans a wide range of areas, including:

Soft Skills
Risk Management
Trade Finance
Regulatory Compliance
Financial Crime Compliance (FCC & AML)
And all aspects of Corporate, Private, and Retail Banking

Besides delivering this negotiation skills workshop and other high-level soft skills programs, our versatile trainer teaches Business Development and Marketing Skills to financial services professionals.

Redcliffe’s negotiation skills masterclass covers the following areas:

Although we can all negotiate, the challenge we face is developing both self-confidence and self-belief
‘Tricks of the trade’ and how to avoid using a ‘caveman brain’ instead of a ‘logical brain’ by knowing where the ‘hot buttons’ are
Understand what ‘negotiation’ means in business and/or commercial contexts
How existing skills can be either honed or improved
Honing, improving, and acquiring negotiation abilities through practice and observation
You will engage in hands-on exercises, learn new techniques, and observe more experienced colleagues to enhance your skills
Recognise that for important negotiations, there is no substitute for detailed planning and thorough preparation
Understand some of the science and why it matters:
- ‘Interests’ and their impact on the outcome
- Options
- BATNA and WATNA
- Giving and receiving concessions
- Win-win and other similar elements
Learn how to construct and deliver proposals with confidence
Determine the best approach in dealing with challenging negotiations and recognise that for some this is merely a high-stakes ‘game’
Master the psychological elements of negotiation with proven methods
Learn the power of an effectively communicated ‘No’ and when to stand your ground in general
Learn when it’s time to walk away with dignity, whilst maintaining cordial relations
Finally, our negotiation skills course helps you understand and learn new techniques whilst accepting that we can’t ‘win them all’. Learn how to deal with defeat gracefully whilst preserving relationships where possible

As a crucial core skill, our workshop is truly a "must-know" for most professionals. At Redcliffe Training, we guide you through key processes and strategies to help you succeed. Whether this is new to you or you're an expert negotiation professional seeking to expand your knowledge, we’re confident that our masterclass will be beneficial.

This negotiation skills course is ideal for individuals looking to enhance, refresh, or deepen their expertise. With a well-rounded approach to mastering negotiation techniques, it is particularly suited for professionals in finance and other sectors where strong negotiation skills are essential. Participants will gain valuable techniques, skills, and insights, making this an essential resource for anyone aiming to excel in their field.

Communication and negotiation are skills we begin developing from a young age, making them inherent talents.

Redcliffe Training's interactive Negotiation Skills Masterclass begins with the recognition that participants already have some foundational knowledge and are eager to build upon it. With a commitment to learning and refining these skills, anyone can become an effective negotiator.

Negotiation skills training equips delegates with the expertise to master the art of negotiating a ‘win-win’ outcome. You’ll learn the core principles of achieving mutually beneficial agreements, often highlighted in sales literature. Participants will explore the most effective ways to engage with various customer types, all while upholding fairness principles, fostering mutual benefits, and building long-term relationships.

The trainer provided a very engaging course, ensuring participation from all attendees, and the regular role-play of situations was very good. I definitely learnt a lot and really enjoyed the course.
Really great practical examples and lots of points to consider.
I had high expectations of this being a very practical course with lots of opportunities to practice negotiations on all sorts of topics. I asked for tools and techniques to help plan and better prepare for negotiations, and this was provided. The opportunity to then practice these skills was also very useful.
The instructor, Mark, was exceptional. He was energetic and supportive throughout the learning process and provided ongoing feedback to enhance our negotiation role-play. This course has provided me with a solid foundation in negotiations and has encouraged me to seek out involvement in negotiation discussions with the support of senior members of my team.
Learnings will be applied during future negotiations, thanks to the skills and techniques learned.
This course allowed me to rethink the way I am negotiating, to question some interactions and take a step back.
This course was a good refresher on negotiation skills and the approach needed to get good outcomes. This will assist me when working with consultants and procurement, and getting mutually beneficial outcomes with project stakeholders. The facilitator was very engaging, particularly with a diverse group of people and over Zoom.

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(min. 50 participants)