Insights from Real Learners - Why Negotiation Training Pays Off
The Weekly Walkaway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Issue No. 97 (5th December)
Insights from Real Learners - Why Negotiation Training Pays Off
As we draw to the end of the year, as with many businesses, we begin to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the year to come.
This year has been a game of two halves for Kahvay, and H2 has simply been craaaaazy busy!
You may have also noticed that
our founder, who usually writes with a passion, The Weekly Walkaway posts, has been noticeable by his absence.He will hate me for saying this, so i’m just gonna slip this under the wire, but i wanted to take a moment to tip my metaphorical hat off to him because it’s through his relentless focus on quality in our, consulting, coaching and training programmes, week in week out , that our delegates and clients alike experience the value (+80 NPS) that I will try to articulate for you below…
So enough of this back slapping, lets get to it…
I love a bit of data, and I’ve spent a bit of time analysing responses from over 100+ of our past global alumni, Drawing on feedback directly from their own words from our Levels 1-3 Master Negotiator Learning journey — which include a pre-workshop and post workshop questionnaire that assesses their experience of their journey, and then I looked at the change from before and after…
#TLDR A brief summary of our findings:
Overall Insights:
Confidence and Preparation Lead the Shift: The workshops successfully transformed emotional insecurities and tactical discomforts into increased confidence and better preparation.
Practical Skills Bridge the Gap: Application of knowledge and improved skills show participants’ ability to address their pre-workshop concerns directly.
Mindset Overhaul: Participants reframed discomforts like conflict, ambiguity, and silence as manageable challenges, demonstrating a significant mindset shift.
Pre-workshop thoughts in their own words
‘What do you want to achieve in this negotiation workshop’?
Simple question right? and their answers reveal diverse yet interrelated goals…
1. Refining Negotiation Techniques: 36.88%
The most prominent theme, this highlights participants' desire to improve their practical skills, learn specific strategies, and become more adept at negotiating effectively.
"Skills on effective negotiation."
"I am not a very experienced negotiator, so I want to learn and practice negotiation skills and understand what negotiation is about to become a professional negotiator."
"Improve my negotiation skills in order to have more gains."
2. Increase Preparation and Boost Confidence: 30.98%
Participants overwhelmingly value preparation and confidence, seeking structured approaches to feel equipped and self-assured during negotiations, particularly in overcoming intimidation or fear in challenging scenarios.
"To be more prepared at the table."
"To become more confident and learn new tactics."
"Confidence within a negotiation. Be able to control the negotiation fairly and confidently."
"To become more confident and learn new tactics."
"Confidence within a negotiation. Be able to control the negotiation fairly and confidently."
"Feel confident instead of uncertain."
4. Personal Empowerment and Self-Control: 12.55%
This theme captures participants' desire to maintain composure, assertiveness, and self-awareness during negotiations.
"I tend to talk more when I feel uncomfortable in a conversation or negotiation. I want to learn how to be comfortable in an awkward situation. Sometimes I do it well, I have a few examples of it. But also, sometimes I become the talker when silence hits. I also want to learn more about the questioning process so I can gather more valuable information for myself."
"Have a clear framework to:
1. Identify a negotiation opportunity
2. Understand the situation: who does what and why
3. Achieve the best outcome for myself, team, and organisation."
"Getting better to maximise the value of the deal, positioning myself in the negotiation stronger."
5. Navigating Discomfort: 8.23%
Participants acknowledge the inevitability of discomfort in negotiations and want to learn how to handle such moments effectively.
"Be more uncomfortable, being able to dare to experiment."
"Feeling comfortable with the uncomfortable."
6. Master Negotiation: 6.67%
Some participants aspire to excel and achieve mastery, demonstrating a high level of ambition and commitment to negotiation excellence.
"To learn all the tricks and be a master in negotiating."
"I am not a very experienced negotiator, so I want to learn and practice negotiation skills and understand what negotiation is about to become a professional negotiator."
"Becoming a better and more skillful professional. To learn to recognize what is happening and why. And how to (re)act to get the maximum out of my own performance."
7. Increase Margin/Profit: 2.74%
Interestingly enough, only a small segment of participants focused on wanting to improve financial outcomes for their companies or themselves.
"To make more margin for my company, to be a better negotiator."
"In my field of work (employment agency), I have to deal with competitors who buy the market. I would like to receive more tools/tips to convince the potential customer that quality and a higher price can bring them more! I can convince my conversation partners (c-level) of the added value of our services, but they drop out because of our pricing."
"Getting better to maximise the value of the deal, positioning myself in the negotiation stronger."
8. Adapt to High Volume: 1.96%
Participants working in fast-paced industries aim to balance efficiency with effectiveness under high-pressure, high-volume workloads.
“We are entering a time when more volume is expected at a more competitive price. I am responsible for a scarce profile, and I want to get the right price for it and not be fobbed off with 'scraps'."
"Getting more big volume deals with higher service fees; internally, delivery teams love to work on the jobs of my accounts."
"Our process is a more high-volume sales process, so I would like to get into the depths of controlling conversations since price is usually the biggest factor as well as inflating the value proposition."
What makes you feel uncomfortable in Negotiation?
What makes you feel uncomfortable in your negotiation?
I’ve grouped the top key themes that popped up below, which makes for some fascinating reading, and not surprisingly its the fear of conflict that takes the top slot by quite some margin…
1. Fear of Conflict (82.31%)
Fear of conflict is the predominant discomfort for participants in negotiations. It includes various forms of tension, such as adversarial dynamics, refusal to cooperate, heated discussions, and power struggles. Many participants feel unequipped to de-escalate disputes or navigate confrontational moments, and they express a desire to maintain a partnership-oriented approach rather than engaging in a "seller vs. buyer" standoff. Which highlights the need for tools to manage conflict constructively.
"Conflict."
"When there is no partnership; no willingness to cooperate & we remain at the level of 'seller vs buyer'. But also: continuous refusal; when I'm out of arguments."
"Conflict or too much detail makes me shut down."
"I don’t know how to de-escalate a heated discussion if things start to get tense."
"When someone challenges me aggressively, I feel pressured and lose confidence."
"Conflict stresses me out, especially when the other party isn’t open to compromise."
"When emotions run high, and the conversation feels more like a battle than a discussion."
"Arguments feel personal, even when they aren’t, and it’s hard for me to stay objective."
"I hate situations where one party refuses to move, and it feels like a stalemate."
"Dealing with confrontation leaves me feeling drained and uncertain about how to move forward."
2. Silent Moments (6.63%)
Participants find long pauses or moments of silence during negotiations uncomfortable. Silence often feels like pressure or judgment, leading them to fill the void with unnecessary conversation, which can weaken their position.
"The silent moments in a negotiation and also when someone just stares without responding."
"I tend to overcompensate by talking too much during quiet times, and it often works against me."
"- Actually: silence ..."
3. Discussing Price/Money (6.46%)
Financial discussions, particularly around pricing and discounts, cause anxiety for participants. This discomfort often stems from feeling unprepared to justify pricing or handle demands for discounts effectively.
"When it looks like our price is the only thing that is important in the negotiation."
"Talk about price and find the right way to this point in the conversation."
"I don't get uncomfortable quickly. Sometimes I'm just frustrated when, after a long process in which I've sat down with multiple stakeholders, the customer still stays with the current supplier because of the PRICE."
4. Power Dynamics or Imbalance (2.38%)
Participants feel uneasy when faced with dominant or authoritative counterparts. This discomfort often stems from a perceived power imbalance, making them feel vulnerable or less prepared.
"People who seem (very) certain of themselves, immovable and opinionated with (perceived) higher rank/power over me."
"Powerful personality."
"Time pressure, low power position while negotiations."
5. Moral Dilemmas (1.53%)
Ethical concerns, such as feeling manipulative or compromising personal values, make negotiations uncomfortable for some participants. They struggle to balance their sense of fairness with the demands of negotiation.
"My moral values, and to be unsure where on the compass I should be."
"My own values, my insecurity. When really hard bargaining takes place."
"The fact that it can be unpredictable, or 'without' norms and values. I find it very difficult when the other party does not want to move and does not show a win-win mentality or even tell lies."
Lack of Clarity or Ambiguity (0.68%)
Uncertainty about expectations, goals, or the negotiation process makes some participants uncomfortable. Although a small proportion, these participants highlight the importance of clear communication and alignment.
"I am eager to close the deal and therefore too easy during negotiation. During hard negotiations, I am sometimes afraid to lose the deal. When my counterpart is an unsympathetic and rude negotiator, I become uncertain or sometimes also rude and unsympathetic."
"The uncertainty about the drivers."
"Uncertainty, values, too much understanding for the other person's point of view."
Do any of these resonate with you?
Post-Workshop feedback
The Foundation Module (Levels 1-3): Building Confidence and Clarity
The Foundation Negotiator module is where transformation begins. For many participants, this was their first structured training in negotiation, and the focus was on building core skills.
Key Themes:
Theory Meets Practice: Delegates appreciated the balance between theoretical concepts and immediate application.
Interactive Learning: Live scenarios and group discussions fostered engagement and skill-building.
Confidence Boosts: Many reported a noticeable improvement in their ability to handle negotiations assertively.
1. Increased Confidence (53.91%)
The workshops had the most significant impact on participants' confidence levels. Many reported feeling more self-assured in their negotiation abilities, overcoming fears of confrontation, and gaining the belief that they could approach negotiations with a clearer mindset and assertiveness.
"I'll be better prepared for a negotiation. Through this preparation I feel more confident in a negotiation. I'll stick to my plan and this will result in better deals."
"Increase in confidence and all the theory of negotiation."
"I now feel more confident when entering a negotiation."
"Skills for negotiation! I feel more confident in the negotiation."
"Understanding my counterparts, have confidence, and preparing myself."
2. Better Preparation (14.40%)
Participants frequently highlighted the improvement in their preparation skills. They noted learning structured methods to approach negotiations and becoming more aware of the importance of planning thoroughly before entering discussions.
"I'll be better prepared for my negotiations, and I'll stick to our plan. This results in better deals."
"I'll be better prepared for a negotiation. Through this preparation, I feel more confident in a negotiation. I'll stick to my plan, and this will result in better deals."
"Preparation is key, and I’ve learned how to structure my approach step-by-step."
3. Improved Negotiation Skills (8.64%)
Participants reported enhanced technical negotiation abilities. They appreciated learning strategies and techniques they could implement immediately in real-world situations, such as handling objections and structuring agreements.
"The skills I'm learning and the usage of the compass in combination with the theory we are getting from the e-learnings will affect my ability to negotiate."
"I will be more focused on using techniques which really work on a daily basis in my professional area."
"Skills for negotiation! I feel more confident in the negotiation."
4. Application of Knowledge (7.00%)
The practical focus of the workshop resonated strongly, with participants expressing confidence in applying learned concepts directly to their roles. Practical exercises and real-world examples were particularly effective in reinforcing this theme.
"I have already been applying the learnings at work and in my personal life!"
"I have become a better negotiator because I can more consciously recognise and apply different styles. In addition, I have concrete models and applicable tools that help me to be more successful as a negotiator."
"The course has given me insights that I didn't have before. It is also good to be confronted with your own actions in negotiations. Learned a lot, but still need to apply it better."
5. Greater Understanding (6.17%)
Participants appreciated gaining deeper insights into negotiation dynamics. This theme includes recognising their own tendencies, understanding the perspectives of others, and learning the rationale behind strategies, which helped refine their approaches.
"Through the insights I gained, I also understand the side from the customer's point of view better, and I can understand certain tactics better."
"Understanding my counterparts, having confidence, and preparing myself."
"Better understand power, planning, PLANT, my behaviour, what to do in which circumstances, etc."
Behavioural and mindset shifts after completing the Workshops
By comparing our participants' pre-workshop concerns with their post-workshop reflections, we were able to identify several key behavioural and mindset changes:
Overall Insights:
Confidence and Preparation Lead the Shift: The workshops successfully transformed emotional insecurities and tactical discomforts into increased confidence and better preparation.
Practical Skills Bridge the Gap: Application of knowledge and improved skills show participants’ ability to address pre-workshop concerns directly.
Mindset Overhaul: Participants reframed discomforts like conflict, ambiguity, and silence as manageable challenges, demonstrating a significant mindset shift.
1. Fear of Conflict → Increased Confidence
Pre-Workshop:
Fear of conflict was the most significant discomfort (82.31%), with participants expressing anxiety about confrontational situations and feeling unequipped to manage tension.
Post-Workshop:
Increased confidence (53.91%) became the dominant outcome, showing participants gained the assurance to handle challenging scenarios. They overcame fears of confrontation and developed a structured approach to assertiveness.
Key Insight:
The workshops effectively addressed participants' emotional insecurities, particularly around conflict, helping them reframe confrontation as a manageable part of negotiation.
2. Lack of Clarity → Better Preparation
Pre-Workshop:
Lack of clarity or ambiguity (0.68%) made participants uncomfortable, stemming from uncertainty about goals or expectations.
Post-Workshop:
Better preparation (14.40%) emerged as a key theme, with participants highlighting their improved ability to structure and plan negotiations.
Key Insight:
The training instilled practical tools and frameworks, empowering participants to navigate ambiguity and focus on clear preparation strategies.
3. Silent Moments → Improved Negotiation Skills
Pre-Workshop:
Silent moments (6.63%) were a source of discomfort, with participants struggling to manage pauses without overcompensating.
Post-Workshop:
Improved negotiation skills (8.64%) suggest participants gained techniques to handle these scenarios, such as strategic silence or redirecting conversations.
Key Insight:
Technical skill-building helped participants address tactical discomforts, enabling them to manage silence and other nuanced negotiation dynamics effectively.
4. Discussing Price → Application of Knowledge
Pre-Workshop:
Discussing price or money (6.46%) caused anxiety, with participants feeling unequipped to justify pricing or manage discount demands.
Post-Workshop:
Application of knowledge (7.00%) reflects their confidence in implementing strategies learned during the workshop to address such challenges.
Key Insight:
Practical exercises and real-world examples equipped participants with actionable tools for financial discussions, reducing their discomfort.
5. Power Dynamics → Greater Understanding
Pre-Workshop:
Power dynamics or imbalance (2.38%) made participants uneasy, especially when facing dominant or authoritative counterparts.
Post-Workshop:
Greater understanding (6.17%) highlights participants’ improved ability to assess negotiation dynamics and adjust their approach accordingly.
Key Insight:
Participants developed a deeper awareness of power dynamics and strategies to navigate them constructively.
6. Moral Dilemmas → Minimal Shift
Pre-Workshop:
Moral dilemmas (1.53%) reflected participants’ discomfort with ethical concerns, such as manipulating or compromising values.
Post-Workshop:
This theme did not surface prominently, suggesting that while ethical concerns remain a minor challenge, they may have been reframed or deprioritised post-training.
Key Insight:
Ethical dilemmas appear to have diminished in importance, potentially due to participants focusing on broader skills and confidence.
The one number to rule them all…
Kahvay is dedicated to Net Promoter Score as a way to monitor the heart beat of our delegate experience. We ask the question….
“Would you Recommend this learning journey to a friend or colleague?”
And would They Recommend It? A Resounding Yes.
Participants overwhelmingly endorsed the programme:
Average Recommendation Likelihood: +80 NPS
Delegates described the workshops as “engaging, practical, and transformative.”
Final Thoughts: Why Negotiation Training Matters
Negotiation isn’t just about claiming value—it’s about creating it. Whether you’re building foundational skills or mastering advanced techniques, negotiation training equips you to navigate high-stakes discussions with confidence and clarity.
Yes, a calculated ROI is nice and well to demonstrate, especially when a learning programme delivers measurable returns that far exceed its cost (which this does).
However its the story beyond the numbers where the learning journey presents itself in the delegates words as transformational.
Transformation is personal— It turns negotiation from a task into a skill that shapes careers and personal lives alike.
So, what’s stopping you ?