Why You Should Invest in Negotiation Training

No matter how good a negotiator you are, you can always be better. What it all boils down to is that everyone can continuously improve their negotiation skills at any time, becoming more influential and persuasive along the way.  Being influential through the use of tactical empathy does not stop once you are out of a “business environment.

If your goal is to become better at negotiation—or you want to develop a team of expert negotiators—you may want to consider investing in negotiation training in 2020 and beyond.

In our experience, we find that our clients decide to take their negotiation skills to the next level because they want to have a system in place that they can rely on despite the stakes or the moments they may come up against.  If you are looking for a reliable framework that can be leaned on no matter the circumstance, Black Swan can give you that.

As always, your circumstances drive your strategy. If you’re looking to sharpen your negotiation skills, we offer an array of negotiation training services, including training for businesses, one-on-one or small team negotiation consulting.

What’s more, if you like learning in the flesh, you may want to check out our increasingly popular live events. And if you prefer learning on your own at your own pace and at your own convenience, we’ve got you covered there, too, with online courses that take you beyond the book.

Need some more convincing about the merits of investing in negotiation training? Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. You’ll make better deals

Negotiation is not a linear process. You have to be able to pivot and react in the moment when things change. Otherwise, you might end up leaving money on the table.

The better your negotiation skills are, the easier it will be to respond to the other side’s temperament appropriately and figure out the best course of action. 

Sometimes, an accusation audit might make the most sense. Other times, a combination of mirrors and labels can do the trick.

Bottom line? Our negotiation training gives you a competitive edge in any interaction based on your ability to manage in the moment.

By investing in yourself and understanding the tools you have at your disposal, it’s easier to become an “agile” negotiator—changing your approach based on the person on the other side of the table. That’s your ticket to making better deals.

2. You’ll develop better leaders (or become one yourself)

You’ve probably heard this before, but it bears repeating: People don’t quit their jobs—they quit their managers.

That being the case, the more effective you are as a leader—or the more effective your managers are in the same capacity—the more successful your organization will be.

Negotiation training can help you and your team develop leadership behaviors that the experts swear by. With strong leadership in place, the sky’s the limit.

3. You’ll drive competitive advantage

The run-of-the-mill organization isn’t necessarily described as a company powered by expert negotiators and engaging leaders.

As such, negotiation training gives your company the tools it needs to move faster than its competitors.

If you’re considering sharpening your negotiation skills to improve your own career, that’s perfectly OK, too. In a two-person competition, who gets the job?: the person who’s been working on becoming a better negotiator, or the person who’s never heard of The Black Swan Group?

4. You’ll support professional development

Workers today care a great deal about professional development. In fact, a study by Gallup found that 87 percent of millennials believe that professional development opportunities are greatly important when choosing a company to work for.

By investing in negotiation training for your team, you’re supporting professional development in a very visual way—building a stronger team while making it that much easier to attract and retain top talent.

5. You’ll improve your emotional intelligence

Research shows that you can continue to develop your emotional intelligence (EQ)—or your ability to practice empathy and see things from someone else’s point of view—into your late 80s.

Negotiation training helps you improve your EQ by learning more about the tools and tricks at your disposal. For example, mastering tactical empathy can help you influence anyone in the world!

We’re simply more susceptible to listening to people who get us.

6. You’ll have better relationships in your personal life

We talk a lot about using negotiation training to become a better leader or a more effective salesperson. But truth be told, negotiation training will also help you build better relationships in your personal life—with your spouse, with your kids, and even with your neighborhood barista.

Using Black Swan tools helps you become a trusted adviser in the minds of your peers—which makes it that much easier to persuade and influence the person you’re talking to, no matter who it is.

Do you have misgivings on developing a team of more persuasive negotiators and more effective leaders?  What is you and your company's plan for helping your team reach their full potential in 2020?

We’re here to help. See which of our negotiation services makes the most sense for you. Sign up, enter with an open mind, stick to it, and make it rain!

We’ll see you soon.