Humans are predictable. Magicians have taken advantage of this predictability for generations. Knowing how to read people helps you significantly in your negotiations, persuasions and overall communications. This ability to predict human behaviour is often related to our evolutionary past. As we have evolved to survive in our environment, we have acquired a lot of “hardwiring” in our brain which now simply dictate our behaviour. We are all too familiar with some of the common behaviours such as seeking water when thirsty or wanting to leave the meeting room when we can no longer hold it.

However, some of these hardwiring and their consequences are more subtle and a careful observation can give the observer a significant advantage in predicting the eventual behaviour.

In this article, a particularly useful body language technique is presented that helps you read people and understand what they are likely to do before they do it and to use this knowledge to your advantage.

This exercise helps delegates to understand the importance of working together and the destructive nature of having hidden agendas which can easily lead to conflicts and confrontations. It addresses many areas such as conflict management, assertiveness and persuasion skills.

This exercise focuses on presentation and negotiation styles. It also shows how people deal with more difficult situations both as individuals and as part of a group.

This exercise focuses on the importance of verbal and non verbal persuasion techniques in achieving goals. By engaging delegates in this activity, participants are encouraged to use different methods of persuasions and discover the efficiency of each technique in completing tasks.

This fun exercise shows the effect of assertiveness in achieving goals by presenting a combination of passive, aggressive and assertive behaviours in the task.

This exercise shows the importance of different communication styles. In particular, it shows the effect of assertive request in obtaining a desirable outcome.

Negotiation is the process of bargaining that precedes an agreement. Successful negotiation generally results in a contract between the parties. Best type of negotiation is “win-win” which means both parties will be satisfied with the result.

“Win-Win” negotiation is about alliance not conflict. Successful negotiation results in long lasting and fruitful professional relationships between parties, reduced tension and stress associated with aggressive bargaining methods and leads to more productive and creative businesses.

In this article we explore five steps to a more successful negotiation for all parties involved: