Overview

The CREO Negotiation for Leaders Course supports professionals and leaders in developing practical negotiation skills to communicate needs, manage expectations, and reach effective agreements. The course focuses on negotiation as a structured, strategic process rather than an adversarial exchange, enabling learners to approach deal-making with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Participants explore key negotiation concepts, including preparation, value creation, stakeholder interests, and decision-making dynamics. Through applied frameworks and real-world examples, learners develop strategies to structure negotiations, articulate positions clearly, and respond constructively to pressure and resistance. The course also addresses communication techniques that support credibility, relationship management, and long-term outcomes across different negotiation contexts. By emphasizing preparation, adaptability, and strategic thinking, the course equips learners to negotiate more effectively in professional, leadership, and organisational settings. By the end of this course, you will be able to: - Explain key principles and stages of effective negotiation - Prepare a structured negotiation strategy aligned with desired outcomes - Apply communication techniques to express needs and expectations clearly - Assess interests, trade-offs, and options in negotiation scenarios - Use practical tools to reach balanced and sustainable agreements Prerequisites: - No prior negotiation or leadership training is required. The course is suitable for professionals, managers, and emerging leaders seeking to strengthen their negotiation and deal-making capabilities.

Syllabus

How to master your negotiations?

This module equips learners with the knowledge, strategies, and psychological insights needed to negotiate with confidence, clarity, and effectiveness in both professional and personal settings. Participants begin by exploring what negotiation truly is and why it is an essential skill for achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. The module introduces core concepts such as BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) and ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement), helping learners understand how to prepare strategically before entering any negotiation. Learners examine different negotiation approaches from collaborative to competitive styles—and learn when and how to apply each one. The module also explores the behavioural and cognitive factors that influence negotiation success, including loss aversion, risk tolerance, and the difference between explicit and implicit confidence. In addition, participants analyse how internal versus external locus of control shapes negotiation behaviour and decision-making. The module concludes with a deep dive into cognitive distortions—such as anchoring, confirmation bias, and emotional reasoning that can undermine negotiation outcomes, along with techniques to recognise and manage them.

Gaining Buy-In From Senior Leadership

This module equips learners with the strategic communication, analytical thinking, and organisational understanding required to secure buy-in from senior leadership. Participants begin by learning how to construct clear, evidence-based arguments that demonstrate credibility and show the real value behind their proposals. They explore techniques for using data, insights, and storytelling to build compelling cases that resonate with decision-makers. Learners then dive into the art of persuasive presentation how to structure ideas, communicate with confidence, and tailor messages to leadership priorities, constraints, and expectations. The module also introduces McKinsey’s 7S Framework, enabling participants to align their initiatives with organisational strategy, culture, and structure to increase relevance and impact. Finally, learners explore Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model to understand how to plan and implement initiatives that not only gain support but also achieve successful adoption across the organisation. Through practical tools and real-world examples, participants learn how to build influence, navigate resistance, and position their proposals as strategic solutions.

Summary & Assignment

This module includes course discussion, summary reading and the final course assignment, which assesses learners’ ability to apply the concepts and skills developed throughout the course.