Influencing & Negotiation

Influencing has long been a core skill for managers and key personnel. With the changing nature of organisations - flatter structures, cross-functional working, empowerment etc - successful managers must learn to rely even less on authority and more on influence. Devolvement of responsibility is also requiring more and more employees to influence colleagues, customers and suppliers as part of their day-to-day role. These factors all contribute to making influencing one of the key skills required in a successful 21st century organisation.

Pearlcatchers Ltd can help your employees develop this essential skill from understanding the basic concepts of influencing, through acquiring a toolkit of styles, to utilising personal power, networks, culture and politics to best advantage.

Influencing Skills

• The nature of influencing - dynamics of the influencing process.
• Understanding the link between negotiation, influence and persuasion.
• Build specific micro skills - listening, questioning, clarifying needs, observation, personal presence, body language etc.
• Identification of your own and others preferred influencing styles.
• Using push and pull strategies and the passive aggressive continuum.
• Improve your skills of assertion and distinguish them from aggression.
• Enhance your sources of personal power and self confidence.
• Self limiting beliefs and behaviours which undermine personal effectiveness.
• Develop a wider range of choices for influencing others individually and in groups.
• Adapting your approach to generate effective relationships.
• Strategies for influencing at meetings and through presentations.
• Influencing upwards and dealing with more senior people.
• Expressing emotions effectively and handling irrational reactions.

Influencing in a World without Authority

• A changing world and the implications for organisations and individuals.
• Personal power - identifying and using the seven power levers.
• Know yourself - how do you influence currently, how do you make things happen and what impression do you create.
• The impact of beliefs, values and assumptions on successful influencing.
• I am right and you are wrong - the dangers of only using logic and fact.
• Organisational culture, networks and politics - the hidden system of the organisation.
• Matching your behaviour to suit the norms, values and beliefs of your organisation's culture.
• The eight tactical weapons of influence - which to use when.
• Networking and building relationships as a basis for influence.

Influencing relates to actions, which attempt to modify someone else's behaviour, attitudes, feelings or ideas - to meet your requirements or desires. Negotiation, however, is much more about reaching "win-win" agreements that are mutually acceptable to all parties involved. This is particularly important when building or maintaining long-term relationships.

One of the most controversial aspects of negotiation is the ability to "close the deal2. We can show you the importance of learning this skill and demonstrate some of the many techniques, as well as when and with whom to use them.

Once restricted to the sales force, many organisations are increasingly recognising the benefits of developing a wide range of employees on how to negotiate and close the deal.

Negotiation Skills

• Negotiating - an everyday event.
• The process of negotiation.
• Listening - to get the whole picture and gain real understanding.
• Asking the right questions - exploring what others want.
• Speak to be understood - and listen to understand.
• Identifying others� values and beliefs.
• Negotiating styles and stances.
• Developing the skills of principled negotiation.
• Recognising others styles and adapting yours.
• Managing your Inner Negotiator.
• Separate the people from the problem - focus on interests not positions.
• Be hard on the people, soft on the problem.
• Developing your BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement).
• Developing understanding and creating choices.
• Skills and strategies for quick reactions - dealing with the unexpected.
• Moving through stalemates - change the size of the pie.
• Dealing with Tough Tactics.

Closing the Deal

• The role of closing in negotiations.
• What characteristics make a "good closer".
• How many closing techniques do you need to master.
• Demonstration and evaluation of closing techniques, their uses, pros and cons.
• Personal evaluation of techniques to suit your skills and circumstances.
• Learning by doing - observation and feedback on delegates styles and techniques

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