As a client executive, I spend much time negotiating with both internal and external stakeholders.
I have always been fascinated by those I met who were good negotiators – methodological, solution-oriented, and patient even under immense stress, and they always seemed to have the right people on board. It intrigued me how they managed it - I could tell they had a secret, but I could not pinpoint what they did differently from me. Prior to joining the Oxford Programme on Negotiation, I had read a few books on negotiation, and although these were very helpful, the crucial link between theory and practice was missing. To develop further, I recognised that I also needed some skilled tutoring and coaching.
With that in mind, I started investigating the market for relevant courses. I knew that I wanted a programme of some length to be able to immerse myself in the subject, rather than just scratching the surface. I also wanted to learn, in person, from the best faculty out there, as it really had to be worth my commitment in time (and money). The Oxford Programme on Negotiation checked all these boxes and had the additional differentiating factor of small class size, making the experience more personalised, interactive, and ideal for building a close connection between participants and instructors.
Despite my initial research, I did not entirely know what to expect when I enrolled in the programme. Of course, I anticipated excellent lectures based on the latest research and perhaps some practical cases. However, when I entered the lecture theatre on the first Sunday evening in Oxford, I could sense that this programme would operate in a completely different league compared to most of my previous courses. The class got off to a flying start – with a high-level introduction to the topic and questions regarding practicalities settled already on Sunday; we could hit the ground running Monday morning. The following lectures fulfilled my high expectations by providing insight into the theory and combining it with practical cases illustrating different negotiation scenarios where I could directly apply the theory into practice. The highly motivated cohort from across the world made the exercises work, and their diverse cultural backgrounds provided an additional layer of insight into the intricacies of negotiation.
In addition to the professors, three professional coaches were assigned to the class. These coaches provided feedback on our progress, and we could also use them as sparring partners to discuss the negotiation challenges we faced in our professional lives. Very useful! I was impressed by how generous they were with their time and experience.
My personal highlight was the external speakers, who, in their own way, manifested how theory could look in practice.
The three speakers, National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Baroness Catherine Ashton, and Hostage Negotiator Sue Williams, were all extraordinary. They showed that you do not have to have a specific personality type to be a successful negotiator, but you need to hone your skills and be a great listener, the best-prepared version of yourself, and never let your ego get in the way of achieving results. That being prepared is important hardly comes as a surprise, but the importance of the negotiation process was an eye-opener to me.
To sum up, while I had a fair grasp of negotiation theory before I started the programme, the lectures, training, and feedback greatly enhanced my skill set and deepened my understanding of my personal negotiation style. By understanding this, I am now able to leverage my strengths better and have an analytical framework to approach a negotiation in a structured way. For anyone considering the programme, I can highly recommend it; it is an intense and immersive experience.
Find out more about the Oxford Programme on Negotiation
