Negotiation - part 3

In this lesson

1. 0:00 Opening and bargaining stages explained
2. 0:15 Opening presentation and fact-finding approach
3. 1:15 Identifying common ground and deploying strategy
4. 2:07 Counter-proposals and making concessions reluctantly
5. 3:04 Communication skills and team leadership
6. 4:14 Closing the negotiation formally
7. 5:13 Key negotiation skills required
8. 6:03 Interpersonal and technical expertise
9. 7:05 Cultural, location and currency considerations

About this lesson

You'll discover how to use fact-finding rather than point-scoring, identify common ground, deploy your pre-prepared strategy, and handle counter-proposals effectively—all while maintaining credibility and bargaining power. This session also covers essential negotiation skills including analytical, interpersonal, and technical expertise, plus practical considerations like cultural awareness, location, currency, and contingency planning that can make or break your negotiating position. The opening and bargaining phases form the heart of any successful negotiation. You'll learn how to present your opening gambit with supporting arguments, then move into a structured fact-finding approach rather than rushing to opposition. The lesson walks you through identifying common ground, staying firm on your three settlement positions (ideal, reasonable, and last resort) while remaining flexible on details, and handling new proposals by taking time to analyse before responding. A key theme throughout is making concessions reluctantly, in small increments, and only in response to genuine offers from the other side—protecting your bargaining power at every step. The closing phase ensures both parties fully understand what's been agreed. You'll see how to confirm all points verbally, create a written record, circulate it for approval, and then formalise the agreement with signatures. Beyond structure, you'll explore the personal skills that make negotiations succeed: analytical capability to understand underlying causes, problem-solving ability, strong interpersonal skills including listening and assertiveness balanced with agreeableness, and technical expertise relevant to your sector. The lesson concludes with practical considerations—cultural protocols, location choice, currency factors, and building in guarantees or contingencies—that protect your position and prevent costly oversights.

Duration: 10m