At the conclusion of this persuading, influencing and negotiating skills workshop participants will be able to:

• Use a five step convincing process.
• Be politically savvy in building coalitions and support for ideas.
• Use refocusing techniques to "think on your feet" in argumentative situations.
• Use Socratic type questions to offer alternatives and determine motivational triggers.
• Recognize when the resistance is a "shark" attack and how to neutralize the attack.
• Acquire information on the exchange "currency" of other people based on: needs, goals, objectives and aspirations.
• Apply one of three exchange processes to gain support and commitment.
• Know when to persuade based on needs and when to negotiate via exchange.
• Maintain a good relationship.

Does your organization experience these challenges?

• A team leader has important work to do; he/she needs results and the freedom to do the job but must use negotiating skills rather than give orders to peers or colleagues whose cooperation is needed.

• The Unit VP has asked an employee to direct a project team of contractors that all seem to have their own agendas.

• The customer's project managers and engineers assigned to your sourcing program seem to want to make it as difficult as possible; with little cooperation and constant changing of priorities.

• The field representative must use negotiating skills, rather than direct, the franchisee to implement the new program.

In today's business environment you need to quickly persuade others to agree on a course of action that gets results. An effective negotiator and consensus builder knows that differences must be resolved fast and close to the action. Many times one party just hammers for pricing concessions while the other party strives to differentiate through value added solutions.

In addition, it seems that the internal struggle is more difficult than differences with customers because we feel that internal colleagues have the same goals and objectives as we do yet don't always readily understand and apply our suggestions. Therefore the ability to use effective negotiating skills with others is key to meeting the organization's objectives.

Interpersonal Skills
Being able to persuade and influence becomes a test of skill - skill in interpersonal communication. Going hat in hand, begging or throwing yourself at a colleague's mercy with a request is not a powerful or very effective option. On the other hand, making demands and bullying your way can be costly as well.

Teamwork is the key to accomplishing goals and individuals must use a variety of skills to manage and resolve the differences that routinely occur in the workplace.

This workshop is designed to allow participants to practice negotiating skills to achieve win/win outcomes in "real time" situations by using the skills of: receiving and giving feedback, effective interpersonal communication, value propositions, influencing without authority, persuading and influencing (selling) and using the theory of exchange in negotiation.

Negotiating Skills Application

• Working with a limited number of customers, i.e. automotive OEM.
• Advising or consulting with franchisees.
• Where long term relationships are important.
• Interdepartmental agreements.
• Matrix organization project commitments.