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The Art of Negotiation

Negotiation begins long before you sit down at the table. It starts with what you want, what you think the other person wants and what you will do if the answer is not the one you expected.

You may recognize the situation

Negotiations usually become difficult before they look difficult.

  • You know what you want, but you have not clarified what you will do if you do not get it.
  • The other side appears to have more power and you start conceding before you need to.
  • Concessions appear along the way, but it is not clear what you receive in return.
  • You want a strong result without damaging the relationship, and the tension between those goals starts driving the conversation.

Is it for you?

For people who negotiate even when the meeting is not called a negotiation.

Managers, entrepreneurs, sales professionals and others who discuss price, timing, priorities, resources, responsibilities or decisions where interests are not perfectly aligned.

What it is not

This is not a collection of tactics for ‘winning’ the conversation.

The program does not start from the idea that negotiation is a contest of domination. We work with preparation, interests, alternatives, questions and choices that can support both the outcome and the relationship when the relationship matters.

Why it matters

Good arguments do not repair a poorly prepared negotiation.

When you enter a negotiation without clarity about what you want, where you can move and what alternatives you have, pressure starts making decisions for you. Good preparation gives you more choices before you need them.

What you want to do differently

More clarity before the pressure. More options while you are in it.

  • Prepare the stakes, boundaries and alternatives before the conversation.
  • Separate stated positions from the interests behind them.
  • Use questions to gain information, not only to defend your argument.
  • Handle concessions and pressure without reducing the negotiation to ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

The practice

You learn negotiation by negotiating.

We work through scenarios, conversations, exercises and reflection on real situations. The goal is not a perfect formula, but the ability to notice what is happening and have more options when the conversation becomes difficult.

What we work on

Preparation, interests, options and the conversation itself.

How to clarify the stakes and what you actually want
How to separate stated positions from the interests behind them
How to build alternatives before pressure pushes you toward yes
How to use questions and handle difficult moments

Why Bogdan

Experience across business, sales, management and people development.

His experience spans sales, management, consulting, training, coaching and entrepreneurship. In the program, that means working with real situations rather than theory delivered in isolation.

Reducing uncertainty

Dates, location and format

These are announced separately for each edition. If you want to work on the topic with a team or inside an organization, the program can be adapted.

Next step

Which negotiation would you like to prepare better next time?

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