Mastering Negotiation: Building Agreements Across Boundaries

Harvard Kennedy School, April 2012

SUMMARY

  • Top performer and one of 55 persons globally selected for program.

  • Skilled in acknowledging and addressing the challenges of negotiating across cultures, organizations and sectors.

  • Knowledgeable of economic, political and social problems.

  • Can develop sustainable solutions necessary to achieve consensus among an unprecedented variety of stakeholders.

  • Ability to manage effects of both social and organizational cultures on negotiation, while simultaneously practicing adaptive skills needed to translate effectiveness across all settings/environments.

WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

  • Shape the agenda for strategic action in the face of resistance and uncertainty.

  • Cultivate relationships in order to build coalitions for effective deal crafting.

  • Exploit leverage points in rules, prior commitments and obligations to influence perceptions and alternatives. 

  • Map the influential players to anticipate barriers to and opportunities for negotiated agreements.

  • Frame persuasive arguments and alternatives in order to create added value.

  • Shift the balance of forces within and across organizations to build momentum.

  • Initiate strategic moves at and away from the table to ‘change the game’.

  • Assess negotiation outcomes with a view to improving future performance.

“REPORT CARD”

Bilateral Agreement: Out-negotiated peer (US Department of Defense Counternarcotics & Global Threats professional). Negotiated considerably above equilibrium.

Deal Clinic: Recommended U.S. Congressional solution for Bilateral Trade Agreement between United States and Columbia described as “Perfect” by peer (Workforce Board of San Mateo County, CA; Health and Human Services Agency professional).

Three Party Coalition: Provided weakest position in scenario, resulted in being victor of negotiation over peers (Director, US Embassy Lome and Director, National Reconnaissance Office). Created scenario of a new Construction Development; negotiated agreement with other two parties ensuring profit and sustainable relationship.

Seaport Grouping: Assigned representation of Labor Party within 6-party negotiation of community and business development. Negotiated above equilibrium for assigned party.

Balance of Power: Achieved 50/50 balance of Soft Power and Hard Power; resulting in perfect balance and use of Smart Power. Only perfect score in the class.

CLASSMATES

US Government Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Reconnaissance Office, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Office of the Governor of California, Office of Director of National Intelligence (US) Office of the City Manager of Burbank, CA, Statoil of Venezuela, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Chilean Government, China Oriental Performing Arts Group, Asian & Pacific Security Affairs; Country Director for Pakistan, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Southern & Central Africa, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Defense, US Navy, County-Level Law Enforcement, New York City Office of the Mayor, Arizona State Legislature, Coca-Cola, UNICEF, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Ministry of Finance of Mexico, National Treasury of South Africa, The World Bank, National Treasury of South Africa, US Embassy Lome.