As ‘win-win’ has taken its place in the cliché of business lingo and has thus been rendered meaningless and too optimistic to be deemed realistic, many have dismissed its potential and are now out to get what they can out of any negotiation
CMA Corporate
As ‘win-win’ has taken its place in business lingo and has thus been rendered meaningless and too optimistic to be deemed realistic, many have dismissed its potential and are now out to get what they can out of any negotiation. Tough luck if you and your own interests turn to dust as your boardroom opposition slams their fist on the shiny oak table. This is business, and there are no friends here.
But, while it may be good fun to act like some sort of hero from a court room drama, forcing what you want down your opposition’s throat, you may be missing out on some great opportunities even you hadn’t imagined possible. Vitriolic boardroom talk is not the best way to get what you want, CMA’s ‘Getting to Yes’ two day negotiation skills workshop can teach you. In fact, entering a boardroom with little more than a pig-headed determination to get what you want out of the inevitably tough negotiations is a sure way to miss out on real opportunities. And, if you follow CMA’s instructions carefully, you may even achieve the irksome win-win.
Negotiation, the two day workshop with CMA reveals, covers a wide range of activities. Lawyers do it all the time, but it can be less formalistic as well. It occurs even in the elevator in discussions with the guy from IT who you need to help you organise the online employee evaluation survey. The CMA workshop ‘Getting to Yes’ will put you in a position to achieve the best possible outcome in any such discussion, both for you and “them”.
HR professionals are constantly using this process, which essentially involves interacting to influence decision making. This could be decisions made by the CEO, or departing staff who think they are owed three weeks’holiday pay. It is a process that can be achieved face to face, via email or on the phone. The process of interaction may be brief, both formal and informal, and can vary from being a friendly discussion to a hostile argument.
The key to being an effective negotiator, said CMA consultant and trainer Simon Dowling, is being able to distinguish between two aspects of each negotiation: the substantive content, and the process by which that content is negotiated. In a nutshell, the distinction is between ‘what’ and ‘how’. What are you discussing looks only at the content of the negotiation, the facts of the matter. This is how may people enter the discussions, with a focus on what they want to get out of it, what they see as being the problems, what they think is getting in their way.
Much more complex is the ‘how’. Negotiators have many choices about how to negotiate the content, whether they are aware of them or not. Being aware of ‘how’ puts you in a prime position to lead the discussions in the desired direction, but also examine potential content that you had previously not deemed possible.
By working through case studies and examples, by acting out real negotiations in the small ‘Getting to Yes’groups and finding out how to deal with specific and real situations, the workshop enables even the most vague to become expert negotiators.
It is only a matter of using and understanding seven key elements before, during and after any negotiation, CMA can reveal. Understanding relationships, communication, interests, options, standards, alternatives and commitment becomes important in achieving any controlled and desired outcome. Making distinctions between each of these processes arms the negotiator with the skills to achieve the very best outcome. With an understanding of this framework, the negotiator is equipped to recognise all aspects of the negotiation dynamic, as well as set goals to achieve it.
This understanding of negotiation, though broad, can be used in any situation in which you need to influence the outcome. HR professionals will face staff issues and problems with a more clearly identifiable understanding of the relationship, the content, and the options and alternatives available to each.
Though at first rather daunting in its sheer mass, the content covered in ‘Getting to Yes’ is clear and covered carefully and intelligently. With a folder of material and a ‘Getting to Yes’ book on hand for reference, each participant is led through slides and examples from both movies and the real world. The valuable and enlightening workshop will empower even the most tongue-tied and frazzled negotiator.
‘Getting to Yes’ is a two day workshop available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, the ACT, Adelaide and Bendigo. One-and half day courses are also available.
Cost: $1,200. Early bookings receive an early bird rate and reduced rates are available for groups of four or more.
Contact: www.cmaservices.com.au or (03) 9614 0333.
