Bitesize training courses → Personal effectiveness → Negotiation skills
Training course: Negotiation skills
Negotiation is not just a sales skill. It’s woven into many aspects of working life, from agreeing on project timelines and resource allocation to navigating salary conversations, resolving internal conflicts and securing supplier terms. Most people are doing it constantly without ever having been taught how to do it well.
The difference between a good negotiator and an average one is about preparation, structure and the ability to understand what the other party actually needs, so both sides can leave the table with something they value. This session gives participants a robust framework for every stage of the negotiation process, from laying the groundwork and building rapport, through to closing confidently at or near their ideal position.
Two hours • In-person or remote • 4-15 participants
Rated 4.5/5★★★★½ from 29 recent reviews
About this bitesize training course
Most negotiation training focuses on tactics and techniques in isolation. This session takes a different approach, working through the negotiation process as a whole so participants understand not just what to do but when and why.
We begin with the conditions that make a negotiation possible, including how to identify your own priorities and fallback positions and how to think about what the other party genuinely values. This preparation stage is where many negotiations are won or lost, long before the conversation starts.
From there, participants learn how to open negotiations constructively, how to build rapport without giving ground, how to anchor effectively and how to identify the low-cost concessions that can be exchanged for high-value returns. We also cover how to read the other party's style and adapt accordingly, a skill that proves particularly valuable when facing pressure tactics or manipulation, neither of which requires an aggressive counter-response to neutralise.
The session closes with practical techniques for reaching agreement confidently, including alternative closing approaches that help participants conclude negotiations at or near their ideal position without forcing a confrontation.
The whole session is grounded in the understanding that the best negotiations create outcomes both parties can genuinely commit to, which makes every subsequent interaction easier.
Key details
this live, bitesize training course is two hours long and packed with powerful ideas
designed for groups of 4 – 15 employees
delivered by an expert trainer at your workplace, or virtually
interactive, with plenty of exercises that get people talking
customisable, to connect with your organisation’s values
Download the full course outline
Who this course is for
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Anyone who regularly needs to reach agreement with colleagues, clients or third parties and wants to do it with more skill and confidence
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Procurement and finance teams securing the best terms from suppliers and partners
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Project managers coordinating resources, timelines and priorities with stakeholders
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Sales and account management teams who negotiate regularly with clients and prospects
“Maximal learning in a short, but intense, session. This is definitely the way forward for management training, as far as I am concerned.”
Professor Niamh Moran, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland ★★★★★
What participants will learn
By the end of this BiteSize training course, participants will be able to:
Open negotiations on a positive note by demonstrating empathy and building genuine rapport
Understand the priorities and needs of the other party before entering into positional bargaining
Anchor negotiations in the right place to set the tone for a favourable outcome
Identify low-cost concessions that can be exchanged for high-value returns
Use persuasive framing to present their offer in the most compelling way
Adapt their negotiating style to the situation and the person across the table
Recognise and respond to manipulative tactics without escalating the dynamic
Negotiate confidently through to a close at or near their ideal position
💡This is a practical, interactive session designed to create lightbulb moments that participants can take back to the workplace immediately.
Core topics covered
Laying the groundwork
Effective negotiation begins before the conversation starts. Participants explore the conditions necessary for productive negotiation, how to define their own priorities and walk-away positions, and how to think strategically about what the other party values most. This preparation stage is the foundation everything else builds on.
Conducting the negotiation
The practical core of the session. Participants learn how to build rapport at the outset, control the pace and direction of the negotiation, use anchoring effectively and maximise their sources of power throughout the process. Includes a focus on identifying and deploying low-cost concessions to unlock high-value returns.
Closing the deal
A toolkit of closing techniques that help participants bring negotiations to a confident conclusion. Participants learn how to recognise when conditions are right to close and how to use alternative closing approaches to reach agreement at or close to their ideal position.
Adapting styles and overcoming objections
How to read the other party's approach and adjust accordingly. Participants work with three key negotiating styles and learn how to identify and respond to objections, pressure tactics and manipulative behaviour without damaging the relationship or conceding unnecessarily.
Recent reviews of the ‘Negotiation skills’ training course
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"Really engaging, and made us consider what you were talking about within our own company. I really enjoyed the UN example!"
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"A lot of extra data, books and material. Very clear explanations and examples."
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"The topic was interesting in its own right. And when we translated the theory into practice with specific examples, it worked well."
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"Speaker was amazing!"
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Course Delivery
Our personal effectiveness training courses are designed to be short, powerful, and easy to fit into busy schedules.
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2 hours, packed with high-impact learning
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Delivered in-person anywhere in the world, or virtually for remote teams
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Best for 4–15 participants to maximise engagement
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Live, interactive, discussion-based with no long lectures or death by powerpoint
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All our courses can be tailored to your organisation’s values, culture, and goals
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Sales and account management teams
HR, procurement and finance professionals
Project managers and team leaders
Anyone who negotiates regularly as part of their role
Pair this with
Influencing and persuading
Negotiation and influence are closely related skills. This session extends the toolkit into the broader art of persuasion, including how to build a compelling case, understand different decision-making styles and win people over without formal authority.
Stakeholder management
The relationship-building and communication skills covered here complement the negotiation framework directly, particularly for professionals who need to negotiate with the same stakeholders repeatedly over time.
Assertive communication
Give participants the confidence to hold their position, say no when they need to and advocate for their interests clearly without slipping into either aggression or unnecessary concession.
Provide useful negotiation skills training for your managers.
Outcomes you can expect
Organisations book this course to help teams:
Secure better outcomes in commercial, procurement and internal negotiations
Approach negotiations with a clear structure rather than relying on instinct
Reduce unnecessary concessions and protect margins without damaging relationships
Handle pressure tactics and difficult counterparts with greater composure
Build a shared language and approach to negotiation across teams and functions
💡Ask about a connected programme that’s built around your needs. We’ll help you shape a high-impact sequence that fits your calendar.
Ready to Get Started?
Empower your team with strong negotiation skills and deliver results.
Frequently asked questions
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Very much so. Negotiation shows up across almost every professional role, from agreeing deadlines and budgets internally to navigating supplier relationships, managing stakeholder expectations and handling performance conversations. The framework taught in this session is designed to be applicable across all of these contexts, and the examples we use reflect that breadth.
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Yes. Participants learn to recognise the most common manipulative tactics used in negotiations and develop a clear, composed response to each. The goal is not to out-manoeuvre the other party but to neutralise pressure without escalating the situation or conceding unnecessarily.
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Anchoring refers to the practice of establishing an opening position that sets the reference point for the negotiation. Research consistently shows that the first number or position introduced in a negotiation has a disproportionate influence on the final outcome. Participants learn how to anchor effectively, how to respond when the other party anchors first and how to reset the frame when an anchor is unrealistic.
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Yes. We customise the examples, scenarios and role-play exercises to reflect the types of negotiations your team handles most often, whether that is commercial deals, procurement, internal resource negotiations or something else entirely. The framework is the same, but the application is made directly relevant to your team's reality.
