Overview

This highly interactive seminar focuses on the development of effective negotiation skills, styles, and strategies, with special emphasis on multilateral negotiation with and within international organizations and companies. Through in-depth analysis of theory and practice with exercises and simulated negotiations, participants will gain the necessary skills to become confident negotiators, overcome impasse in the negotiation process, and utilize strategic tactics to further their own positions and interests. Officials and practitioners from developing countries, who have been confronted by the challenges of negotiating with their domestic and international counterparts as well as international development institutions, would find this seminar highly beneficial.

Format

The seminar will be delivered through 5 live on-Line sessions via Zoom videoconferencing platform. Each session will last approximately 3.5 hours and will start at 8:30am Washington DC time (Eastern Standard Time). We expect the class to be highly interactive and will include presentations, case studies and exercises.

Course Outline

• Negotiation and conflict styles
• Approaches to negotiation
• Preparing for negotiation
• Process and key stages of negotiation
• Analyzing positions, interests, options, and more
• Techniques and skills
• Exploring power and cultural dynamics
• Overcoming impasse
• Dealing with difficult negotiators
• Multilateral negotiation in international organizations and companies

Course Advisor

Gerhard Botha is the Director of Programs at the International Law Institute in Washington D.C. Previously, he worked for the World Bank as a senior sector specialist in legal and judicial reform and private and financial sector development. Gerhard specialized in labour/employment law and relations, conflict resolution and negotiations, both in private practice and within a large corporate environment in Southern Africa. He has over 36 years’ experience in legal and labour relations practice, and in international development. Gerhard holds B.A. and LL.B degrees from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, an LL.M in labour law, from the University of South Africa and an LL.M focusing on labour/ employment law and alternate dispute resolution, from The George Washington University Law School in Washington DC. He also holds a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.