Negotiation 101

This training will be offered virtually on
Friday, November 12, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Negotiation is never easy. And the diverse settings within which public officials negotiate, including collective bargaining, pose unique challenges — chief among them the complexity of issues involved, contentious interpersonal dynamics, and the necessity to publicly “live the deals” that are brokered. Success demands thoughtful preparation, superb listening and questioning skills, and strategic tactical execution at the bargaining table. This highly interactive workshop will improve participants’ ability to formulate and present “yesable” offers, manage concessions, and implement stalemate-breaking strategies.

Developed for local government leaders, in cooperation with the Association of Minnesota Counties, this day-long highly interactive workshop will help you to navigate your most difficult negotiations. Together, we will explore how best to:

• • • Prepare effectively for any negotiation;
    • Appreciate the importance of listening for “interests” and the constructive role of information gathering throughout the negotiation process;
    • Maintain genuine curiosity and constructive distance when engaged in difficult conversations; and
    • Craft effective proposals, including when and how to make concessions and advocate for sensible trade-offs between issues.

Faculty

Professor James Coben

Professor Jim Coben is a senior fellow in Mitchell Hamline’s Dispute Resolution Institute, which he directed from 2000-2009.  He is a co-editor of the Rethinking Negotiation Teaching Series, a four-volume publication on “second generation” global negotiation education, with contributions from 60 of the world’s leading negotiation scholars.  Jim has conducted mediation and negotiation trainings throughout the world, with participants from more than 30 countries.