CLEBC’s Negotiation Skills for the Zombie Apocalypse course will take place on October 31, 2016.
We had a chance to chat with two of the course chairs Sharon Sutherland and Emily H. Martin about this practical and fun course to improve your negotiation skills for conflicts in daily practice and life.
Q: What are you most excited about for this course?
Sharon: I’m excited to work with co-chairs Carrie Gallant and Emily Martin, and a diverse group of participants. I anticipate that changing up the usual course setting, overlaying an element of creativity, and focusing on advanced understandings of intransigent negotiators will result in an exciting day of learning for everyone, including me!
Emily: I find that in the best courses, participants are excited by the materials. With our playful use of the zombie metaphor, I am excited that we will develop negotiation skills in a particularly engaging way in this non-conventional course. Everyone learns better when they aren’t bored and injecting fun into learning can be transformational.
Q: What knowledge/skills will participants take away from this course?
Sharon: Course participants will take away:
- Techniques for problem solving negotiations with people stuck on a position and unable/unwilling to respond to new information
- “Defences” against lying in negotiation
- Mediation advocacy skills to enhance problem-solving options
Emily: Negotiations involve not just logic, but also emotions. Participants will be better equipped to handle both logical and emotional reactions that occur in negotiations.
Q: What makes this course unique from other negotiation courses?
Sharon: Aside from the zombie theme:
- Three course chairs from differing practice backgrounds will draw on experiences across a wide range of negotiation settings
- Course materials will include a prototype for a collaborative card game
- We will critically reflect on the differences between negotiating directly, representative negotiation, and facilitated negotiations
Emily: This course is unique in that it gets into the Halloween spirit to complement the negotiation skill-building substance. Many people, including some lawyers, are conflict adverse. Negotiations add elements of risk about whether or not a good deal will be achieved, and sometimes it feels like the negotiator across the table is acting monstrous. Halloween is the traditional holiday for embracing danger. What better time to learn strategic skills to face the unknowns and risks of negotiations?
Q: What are you up to this Halloween?
Sharon: Debriefing the Negotiation for the Zombie Apocalypse course at Koerners with any course participants who’d like to continue the discussion!
Emily: Before I come north to Canada, I’ll make my Boston Terriers wear silly costumes on walks around the neighborhood.
If you are interested in an engaging workday of Halloween-themed negotiation training, don’t miss out on Negotiation Skills for the Zombie Apocalypse! For more information, please contact CLEBC Customer Service at 604.669.3544.