Negotiation and Mediation

Negotiation and mediation are presented as skills that, despite common assumptions, can be studied, developed, and practised like any other professional capability, central to both working and personal life. The course links theory with practice, aiming to build participants' knowledge and awareness of the theory behind negotiation and mediation while sharpening their own negotiation and mediation skills, combining classroom instruction grounded in the principled-negotiation approach associated with Harvard, together with practical exercises and simulated negotiations. Core concepts addressed include the negotiator's dilemma, assertiveness and empathy, active listening, distributing versus creating value, positions versus interests, multi-party negotiation, and the psychology underlying negotiation, with considerable time given over to simulations and the debriefing that follows them, reflecting the course's focus on building participants' personal confidence and skill as negotiators or mediators.