In June 2024, I had the remarkable opportunity to attend the Executive Education Programme on Negotiation.
As a senior contract manager in Qiddiya Investment Company with over 17 years of experience, this programme refined my negotiation skills and gave me new insights that continue to contribute to my professional growth. My goals were to enhance my ability to navigate complex negotiations and to learn from a diverse group of peers and experts. In this blog, I will share the structure and content of the programme, my learning experience, personal growth, challenges faced, and the key takeaways from this transformative journey.
Why I chose this programme and Oxford University
Let me start by sharing a bit about myself. I am from Pakistan and have earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in civil engineering from the National University of Sciences and Technology, one of the best universities in Pakistan. Later, I completed my Master of Science degree in construction and real estate management from Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft (HTW Berlin), Germany.
As a student, I always dreamed of studying at Oxford University and I was thrilled to finally make this dream come true. Oxford's renowned reputation for academic excellence and its comprehensive curriculum tailored to advanced negotiation skills were significant factors that made this programme stand out from other options. I was expecting to gain practical negotiation techniques and insights into handling complex, multi-party negotiations, and the programme exceeded these expectations by providing hands-on experiences and a robust theoretical foundation.
Overview
The negotiation programme spanned one week in June 2024 and was meticulously designed to cover core themes such as:
- preparing for negotiations
- creating value
- understanding decision-making
- group decision-making
- multi-party negotiations
- persuasive communication
- negotiating in changing environments
- the role of conflict, value, perspective and culture in negotiations
One of the challenges I faced was adapting to the intensive schedule and the depth of content, which pushed me to rethink my existing strategies and embrace new approaches.
Learning experience
The learning experience was both rigorous and enriching. The programme included lectures from distinguished faculty, interactive group discussions, live role plays and simulations written by Oxford academics. Engaging with a diverse cohort of participants from various geographical, cultural and organisational backgrounds added immense value to the learning process. Exchanging ideas and experiences with such a diverse group, as well as a range of practitioners and academics, helped me understand negotiating across cultures and different perspectives.
Despite the intensive nature of the programme, the vibrant discussions and practical exercises kept me motivated. Oxford also arranged guided tours, showing us many of its historic colleges. Personally, I managed to visit Keble College where the ex-cricketing legend and former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, studied. As I walked through the historic halls of Keble, I couldn’t help but feel a deep connection to the rich history and legacy of Oxford, imagining the footsteps of great minds who once walked the same path.
Core learnings
This programme provided me with the following core learning that will guide me in future negotiations:
- Shifting focus - collaboration over competition: negotiations aren't about winning; they're about creating mutual gain.
- Setting the stage - proactive agenda setting: know your goals and set the agenda early on to steer the negotiation in the desired direction.
- Logic over ego: let reason guide you. The bigger the ego, the greater the risk of overpaying. Maintain a calm and logical approach.
- The 3 Ps:
- People and relationships: we learned to identify key players, understand their motivations, and build trust through collaboration. We explored negotiation styles and adapting communication to different personalities.
- Problem-solving: we developed frameworks for approaching complex negotiations systematically. This included identifying potential problems, contingency plans and brainstorming solutions that addressed all parties' needs.
- Process of meeting: we explored techniques for setting clear objectives and agendas, formulating questions to elicit key information and sharing information strategically.
- Preparation is paramount: thorough preparation is key so understand the context, relationships and dynamics before entering the negotiation room.
- The power of hearing: don't just talk, actively listen. This can be the difference between a good deal and a great one
Personal growth
The programme significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth. I gained a deeper understanding of negotiation dynamics and developed a robust framework for approaching future negotiations, whether in person or online.
Currently I am involved in a giga-project, managing multiple complex procurements, where I have to deal with various internal and external stakeholders, each with their own business needs and targets. The insights into different cultural perspectives and strategies for managing multi-party negotiations were particularly valuable in this context. One notable experience was a one-on-one simulation where I read the instructions carefully and successfully won the deal according to my script. However, I struggled during multi-party negotiations, which was a crucial learning moment for me.
I realised that focusing solely on personal achievements isn't enough; understanding all stakeholders and identifying potential spoilers who might want to derail the deal is essential. This course has equipped me with the skills to better manage these complex dynamics, ensuring that I can balance the diverse needs of stakeholders while achieving business targets. I plan to apply these new skills in managing significant projects in my current job, ensuring more effective and successful outcomes for all.
Looking ahead
Overall, completing this course was an incredibly rewarding and transformative experience. It not only fulfilled a long-held personal dream, but also provided me with advanced negotiation skills that are directly applicable to my professional role as a senior contracts manager. The blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice, coupled with the rich cultural exposure and the opportunity to connect with professionals from around the world, made this journey unforgettable.
I am confident that the lessons learned and the skills acquired will continue to benefit me and my organisation for years to come. This programme has empowered me to tackle future challenges with greater confidence and a more strategic approach, ensuring that I can lead my team to achieve outstanding results in all our procurement endeavours.
