Negotiation Skills Training - Geelong
Negotiation Skills Training - Geelong
You know that sinking feeling when you're sitting across from someone in a meeting, and you can feel the conversation turning into a battle you're not equipped to win? Maybe it's your boss pushing back on your budget request, a supplier who won't budge on pricing, or that colleague who somehow always gets their way while you walk away feeling like you gave up too much. If you've ever left a negotiation thinking "I should have said..." or "Why did I agree to that?", you're not alone.
Here's the thing most people don't realise about negotiation skills - it's not about being the loudest person in the room or having a natural gift for persuasion. The best negotiators I've worked with aren't the smooth talkers you might expect. They're the ones who've learned specific techniques for reading situations, managing emotions (both their own and others'), and finding solutions that actually work for everyone involved.
In the real world, you're negotiating more than you think. When you're trying to get buy-in for a new process, working out project timelines with other departments, or even just figuring out who's handling what on your team - that's all negotiation. The problem is, most of us wing it and hope for the best. We either come across as too aggressive and damage relationships, or we're too accommodating and get walked all over.
This training gives you a practical toolkit that works in actual workplace situations. You'll learn how to prepare for negotiations so you're not scrambling for responses, how to identify what the other person really wants (which isn't always what they're saying), and how to structure conversations so everyone feels heard while still protecting your interests. We'll cover everything from salary discussions to vendor negotiations to those tricky internal politics situations where you need to get things done without stepping on toes.
What You'll Learn
How to prepare for any negotiation, whether it's planned weeks ahead or sprung on you in the hallway
Techniques for staying calm and focused when tensions rise or when you're feeling pressured
Ways to uncover the real interests behind people's positions (the stuff they're not saying out loud)
Strategies for making offers and counteroffers that move things forward instead of creating deadlock
How to handle common difficult behaviours like aggressive tactics, emotional manipulation, or complete stonewalling
Methods for closing deals and agreements that stick (so you're not back at square one next month)
Approaches for maintaining good working relationships even when you can't give people what they want
The Bottom Line
After this training, you'll walk into negotiations feeling prepared instead of anxious. You'll have specific phrases and techniques to use when conversations get stuck, and you'll know how to read situations better so you can adjust your approach on the fly. Most importantly, you'll stop leaving money, time, or opportunities on the table because you didn't know how to ask for what you needed. Whether you're dealing with workplace conflicts or major business deals, you'll have the confidence and skills to get better outcomes while keeping relationships intact.