Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator
Claim your free copy from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
Hone Your Skills with Negotiation Training
Dear Business Professional,
Jennifer’s story says a lot about how to make the most of your negotiation training.
Here’s how she tells it:
I pride myself on being a good negotiator. Both my parents are lawyers so you could say I’ve been negotiating practically since birth.
For the last seven years, I’ve been negotiating contracts for the one of the biggest medical technology companies in the Midwest. It’s high stakes, high pressure work—but the payoff makes it all worthwhile.
But after many successful negotiations, I hit a slump. My tried-and-true strategies just weren’t cutting it any more. I knew I needed to improve my negotiation skills and I just wasn’t sure what I should be looking for in a negotiation training program.
So, I went online to search for negotiation training resources. One of the first results to pop up was Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator, a free special report from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
As I started reading, I began to better understand the kind of training I should be looking for.
Specifically, I Iearned how to:
– Be ready to make mistakes.
Instructors often have their students participate in negotiation case study exercises that have been designed at least in part to expose flaws in their thinking, such as the tendency to be overconfident.
– Embrace the discomfort.
Feeling uncomfortable with an aspect of our behavior is a necessary step on the journey to improving it, according to psychologist Kurt Lewin, who developed an influential model of change.
– Take a proactive approach.
Once training begins, avoid passive note taking. Instead, think about how the new concepts relate to your own negotiations.
– Think twice.
Researchers have found that we learn better when we have the opportunity to abstract similar lessons from two or more experiences. So listen for concepts being repeated more than once.
– Participate in negotiation case study exercises.
While it may take some getting used to at first, a negotiation simulation allows you to practice your skills in a low-risk setting.
– Consciously practice.
Once you’re back at the office, don’t assume the new skills you’ve learned will be come a natural part of your negotiation repertoire. Practice your new strategies until they become second nature.
– Identify a negotiation coach.
It’s important to augment negotiation training with real-life mentoring from an experienced colleague who can help you brainstorm solutions to various dilemmas.
Reading Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator opened up a whole new world of negotiation possibilities.
With the right training, I knew I could get back on my game. When I thought about where to begin, I decided what better place than the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School!
Jennifer’s story is one we’ve heard time and again at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School.
While some people seem to have “negotiation in their blood,” it’s actually a skill that’s learned—and refined—over time.
In Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator, you’ll discover how to maximize your negotiation training.
Within the pages of this free special report, you’ll learn how to transfer knowledge from the classroom to the conference room and turn negotiation case study exercises into real-world applications.
How to Make the Most of Negotiation Simulations
Over the past two decades, executives have been honing their skills primarily through negotiation simulations—mock negotiating situations in which they experiment with new strategies. However, negotiation simulations are only successful if you fully dedicate yourself to the learning process.
To create the best environment for a negotiation simulation, you must first overcome four key obstacles:
– Resistance to hands-on learning.
Some people, including many senior managers in American companies, find negotiation simulations to be embarrassing or somehow beneath their dignity.
– Missing the big picture.
Other participants get so wrapped up in the details of the hypothetical situation that they miss the overarching lessons.
– Difficulty absorbing new contexts.
Some participants have a hard time learning cross-contextually; that is, they tend to reject what is being taught if the situation, or context, does not exactly match the one they know best.
– Fear of losing.
Some people worry so much about “losing” the game that they would rather forgo the opportunity to immerse themselves in the learning opportunities presented by the negotiation simulation.
Do any of these challenges sound familiar?
Start overcoming them when you read Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator.
Where’s Your Negotiation Coach?
Many professionals have a knack for creating value, claiming value, and building great deals. Yet few are capable of helping others enhance their negotiation performance. The challenge is finding that individual who can help you take your skills further.
In Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator, you’ll learn exactly what makes a good negotiation coach.
A good negotiation coach is:
Consistent—Coaches are better able to give consistent negotiation advice if their practice is informed by a theory in which they fervently believe.
Focused on preparation—By listening carefully, asking clarifying questions, and giving helpful feedback, a good negotiation coach can help you prepare for even the toughest negotiations.
Committed to rehearsing and debriefing—Like practicing during a negotiation simulation, rehearsing is just as important in the real world. A good negotiation coach helps you role-play your future negotiation and then reviews your performance after you’ve left the bargaining table.
Turn Your Negotiation Training into Real-World Results
If you’re ready to begin honing your skills, look no further than Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator. Here you’ll find a wealth of information about negotiation simulations, training, and strategies that help propel your career to the next level.
Curated from several articles, this report contains the most important, most relevant information you need to convert negotiation training into real-world results.
I urge you to download your complimentary copy of Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator, right now. Simply click the button below.
Trust me—you’ll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Gail Odeneal
Director of Marketing
Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School
P.S. Are you the best negotiator you can be? Download your free copy of Negotiation Training: How Harvard Negotiation Exercises, Negotiation Cases and Good Negotiation Coaching Can Make You a Better Negotiator