Project managers exercise their negotiation skills every day. They negotiate with functional and other project managers within their own organization over time, scope, budget, schedules and change orders. Outside the organization they negotiate with customers, vendors, suppliers and subcontractors. Project managers negotiate during every phase of a project from the start-up, during performance, and right through the close-out.

This course provides the project manager the skills required to: negotiate schedules, change orders, estimates and contracts; resolve conflict; negotiate multi-party agreements; and build better teams. Strategy in negotiation is explored and the key role that planning and preparation play in a negotiation is emphasized. The dynamics of communication in negotiation are examined with special attention to the role of power and ethics.

The dynamics of negotiation that involves teams and groups is highlighted. Factors central to all negotiations as well as factors and dimensions strongly shaped by national and cultural style are also presented. Quite often negotiation strategies and tactics do not work the way they are intended to. Conflict resolution tactics are discussed which negotiators can use to help put derailed negotiations on track and keep a conflict from becoming increasingly destructive. Finally, the use of third parties to resolve breakdowns in negotiations is explored.