Five ways to improve your negotiation skills at work

Ever found yourself in a situation at work where agreement or a solution cannot be reached? It can add unnecessary stress to a situation. That’s where the skill of negotiation proves vital. Enter our bespoke Masterclass… 

Masterclass

Negotiation, by definition, is a “discussion aimed at reaching an agreement”. It is a powerful tool in business settings. It allows you to gain a competitive advantage, increase your confidence in business deals, counter intimidation tactics and preserve and nurture work relationships by managing conflict.

Do you want to learn more about this? We are delighted to welcome Stephen Boyle to The Westbury on May 7 for a Masterclass in Negotiation.

With Stephen’s experience and knowledge on how to tackle life’s problems with the art of negotiation (as well as his background of lecturing in Negotiation on the Smurfit MBA), this Masterclass will provide you with advice, takeaways and key learnings to assist you in a variety of circumstances.

Want to come along? Get your tickets here

In preparation for the event, we are taking a look at five ways to help you negotiate better at work.

Do your research

To successfully negotiate, you need to be armed with as much information and background data as you can.

At the end of your research period, you should have the best possible outcome, a compromise, and the ‘worst case scenario’ that could rear its head.

Knowing these three elements means you won’t come to breaking point or suffer a significant loss at the end of the discussion.

Prepare and practice

As the saying goes, “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”, and this goes for negotiating too.

This can be done by practising your negotiation skills in smaller meetings or conversations of less significance; such as deciding on a restaurant to visit with friends. This practice will help in your future endeavours to reach the best possible solution.

Trust yourself

When negotiating, one of the most important aspects is being yourself. When you think of negotiation, you may think you need to be tough and strict (with a touch of icy coldness). However, if this isn’t your natural demeanour, trying to be someone you’re not will never work in your favour.

Know your strengths and realise you can be powerful just by being who you are.

Listen

Listening is a skill many of us seem to struggle with. Nine times of 10, we never truly listen to what others have to say.

When negotiating, remember the other side is just as important as you. There needs to be a coming together of minds and a streamlining of ideas.

Try and work together; not against; as the best outcomes stem from when teams and individuals collaborate. Also, listening is one of the very best ways to learn and you will be surprised at the knowledge you will gain from others.

Know who you’re talking to

Knowing your audience is the key to any situation where you find yourself speaking to a group or an individual. Think about how they like to receive information.

For example, do they prefer to hear straight facts with numbers to back it up, or do they like to hear more elaborate stories to help them understand the situation better? This information will lead you to greater success.

Meet our Speaker…

Stephen Boyle is a negotiation trainer and lecturer at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School’s MBA programmes. He is also the Programme Director of UCD Michael Smurfit Executive Development: Winning Negotiation Strategies.

In addition to his roles as a trainer and lecturer, he works as a consultant to clients engaged in challenging negotiations.

Stephen has delivered negotiation skills development programmes in Europe, Asia and the United States for clients across a myriad of sectors. He has also worked as a consultant on management development programmes for the International Trade Centre in Geneva, an office of the United Nations and World Trade Organization.

Prior to embarking on an independent training and consulting career 15 years ago, Stephen held roles in a management consulting firm and in communication and change management at a Fortune 500 company.

What to expect on the night:

• Bubbles and delicious canapes from 6:30 pm
• Networking with like-minded people
• A Masterclass in Negotiation with key takeaways, tips, and tricks
• A Q&A session with our speaker
• The opportunity to win some fabulous prizes
• A luxury gift bag for all guests to take home, including treats from Dylan Bradshaw, NIVEA, Glitz N’ Pieces, Dr. Bronner’s and Green & Blacks

The IMAGE Young Businesswomen’s Forum also qualifies as two hours of structured, non-core CPD hours.

Buy your tickets here

In partnership with Cara Pharmacy.

In association with Mazda.