There can be no argument against people’s desire to master the art of persuasion and the power of influence – it is what makes great leaders and is a highly sought after skill by executives and managers alike. So how does one steer a successful negotiation? What tools are required? And just what is the difference between influencing and negotiating? Of all these questions, one thing remains certain: both demand a structured approach.
Reviewed by Melissa Yen
There can be no argument against people’s desire to master the art of persuasion and the power of influence – it is what makes great leaders and is a highly sought after skill by executives and managers alike. So how does one steer a successful negotiation? What tools are required? And just what is the difference between influencing and negotiating? Of all these questions, one thing remains certain: both demand a structured approach.
The Influence and Negotiation Skills for the New Workplace course at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management is effective in helping executives, directors or managers at any level of business to develop that necessary approach. Run by bestselling author, business educator and business development expert, Stephen Kozicki, this two-day course provides attendees with the skills to negotiate better deals and influence key internal and external stakeholders.
The course is structured around the introduction of a methodology for influencing the decisions of others. Using effective communication tools and identifying and understanding a person’s stated position and interests is necessary in order to reach alternatives for an effective negotiation or influence.
The course begins with participants being broken up into syndicate groups to analyse the current trends they are facing within their businesses and markets.
Once these trends have been identified, the influence and persuasion process is analysed and the influence and negotiation framework introduced. This is to help managers in outlining their goals, the value propositions of themselves and stakeholders, and what issues can be raised in order to reach a common ground. Following this, the different styles of influencing are introduced in order to help participants identify key stakeholders and how they can help the negotiation or influencing cause. Negotiation and decision types and styles are also examined along with how to build credibility and trust among those you are aiming at influencing. This aids in not only ensuring your negotiation is successful but that you are also making the right decisions and building strategic relationships.
Emotional intelligence and its effect on business persuasion are also covered. Research has shown the increased requirement for emotional intelligence among managers and the resulting business benefits due to leaders using it successfully.
Kozicki is effective in keeping his audience engaged, striking an ideal balance between his explanation of theoretical frameworks and the use of live case studies, with group activities and discussion.
HR professionals can also benefit from this course. A common issue for HR lies in building effective business cases and influencing executives and board members when it comes to certain initiatives. This means that influencing and negotiating skills are particularly important and the techniques and tools examined in this course prove beneficial in helping them with this challenge, even when it comes to attraction and retention issues.
Attendees should come prepared with their own negotiation or influencing issue to be practically applied in the form of a personal action plan. The forum style approach to the course allows for discussion, feedback and therefore the provision of critical outcomes that can help managers in their search for the successful negotiation or influence technique.
Influence and Negotiation Skills for the New Workplace courses: 28-29 March 2007, 30-31 July 2007. Cost: $2,780.00 (inc GST) per person. For more information contact: MGSM Corporate and Executive Education, phone: + 61 2 9850 9016, fax: +61 2 9850 8630, email: [email protected].
