Negotiation plays an essential role in decision-making around public issues. From advocating for policy change to organizing public events, all involved — must be able to negotiate effectively to achieve their goals. Unfortunately, many believe that all negotiations must be “win-lose,” which only damages relationships and leaves potential gains untapped.

CBI can help government, multilateral, nonprofit, and corporate audiences negotiate more effectively. We offer practical and proven one-day to one-week workshops to build key negotiation skills, using the Mutual Gains Approach developed at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. Our approach works — whether or not the other side insists upon a win-lose outcome.

CBI trainers are among the most experienced in the world. We use our first-hand experience mediating with skilled negotiators on public issues to deliver trainings that integrate theory and practice. Unlike many other negotiation trainers, we tailor our trainings to show how the Mutual Gains Approach can apply to all negotiations. Our trainings offer:

• Tailoring Assessments: Before trainings, we speak with
  key individuals from the training audience to learn more about their
  “worst negotiation nightmares.” We use results of these interviews to
  select teaching materials and shape programs to have the greatest
  possible impact and success.
• A Highly Interactive Learning Style: We combine
  lectures, small-group discussion, role-playing exercises, and clinics
  so that everyone can practice negotiation skills and get answers to
  their questions. Our trainers use their experience as professional
  mediators to offer illustrative examples of how the Mutual Gains
  Approach may be applied in the real world.
• Capacity Building: It is not enough to train individuals
  to negotiate more effectively. Whenever we can, we endeavor to help
  individuals share what they have learned with their constituents and
  co-workers. We also help agencies, organizations, and firms learn to
  support their newly trained staff.

Our trainers have a worked with a multitude of groups and communities throughout the United States and internationally.

For more information about CBI services and areas of expertise, please contact us [1] online or call (617) 492-1414.