Duration

2 days

Target Audience

All

Learning Objectives

Understand stakeholder influences and manage stakeholders in a project.
Knowing the roles for negotiation in the project management context.
Learn the ways of handling conflicts, ways of resolution, and leading change.

Learning Methodology

Interactive exercises on real life project issues from the course participants, group discussions, role-plays, and presentations

Course Information

This course is carefully designed to provide the best mix of experience, theory and practice in a professional learning environment. Formal presentations will be brief and used mainly to introduce key concepts and significant elements of negotiation and conflict management. Emphasis is on real case studies, and practical applications through “hands-on” action learning. Throughout the course you will require to have a high level of participation and team involvement.

The entire course content is compliant with the standard Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) of the Project Management Institute (USA).

Every participant will undergo a quick pre-course self-assessment of his/her negotiating and conflict resolution skills, and then through the course to provide mastery of these competencies: negotiating skills, managing conflicts and leading the change.

The training uses practical exercises that take individuals outside their comfort zones. By giving the participants help and guidance during the process, confidence and skills are strengthened. We make the sessions challenging and practical using role-play, experiential learning and group exercises. Participants will quickly discover their strengths and weaknesses through the role-plays with others. Moreover, this interaction makes classes enjoyable and motivational.

The tempo of the training is light-hearted and fast-paced. Our experience suggests that this makes people look forward to attending our training sessions and reinforces the motivational effects. Peer group pressure, structure and relaxed atmosphere are the key elements to the success of our courses.

Synopsis

Recommend cluster seating of 5 participants to a round table. Therefore, to accommodate 30 participants would require 5 clusters. Every cluster will be assigned a project which the participants are currently facing or had previously faced difficulties in negotiating and managing conflicts. The preliminary approach is for the course facilitator to first understand the project scenarios before coaching can start to introduce negotiation and conflict resolution techniques.

There is a conflict whenever project stakeholders’ needs and expectations are not met. And it takes a minimum of two people to have a conflict. Typically, there are 4 main areas where conflicts and thereafter negotiation can be executed, which are:

Project strategies
Commercial considerations
Technical considerations
People and personality (the largest contributor to conflicts)

Course Outline

Managing Project Stakeholders

Stakeholders and their implications on projects and operations

Who are your stakeholders?

What are your power bases? (e.g. Formal, Reward, Expert, Referent, and Penalty power) - as deemed appropriate

Using and reading body language (video)

Leading the change using ADKAR Change Management Model

Creating project awareness and criticalness using the Balanced Scorecard “Voice of the Customer” and “Voice of the System/Project” as a basis for negotiating demands

Managing Conflicts and Negotiating

Major sources of conflict on project teams

The five modes of handling conflict

Stages of conflict
Negotiating conflict
Major sources of conflict on project teams
Conflict negotiation strategies
Problem-Solving, Compromising, Collaborating, Smoothing, Withdrawal, and Forcing
How to plan and conduct collaborative negotiation
Dimensions of behaviour during conflict
Competitive modes of handling conflict
Collaborative modes of handling conflict
Applying conflict management styles
Preparing to negotiate
Competitive negotiation
Collaborative negotiation
Stages of collaborative negotiation
Rapport Setting, Exploration, Agreement, and Closure

Role-Play: Conflict scenarios and strategies for initiating conflict resolution

How to plan and conduct collaborative negotiation

Utilizing your power bases to negotiate and provide resolution to a conflict

Programme scope, delivery arrangements and suitability are confirmed during enquiry.