Negotiating on the Frontlines

At the end of the course, you will be able to:
1. Analyse Complex Environments: Develop your ability to critically analyse political and social environments during public health and other humanitarian crises, identifying key stakeholders, their positions, interests, and the broader context influencing the negotiation process.
2. Strategic Planning and Facilitation: Design and implement a robust plan for professional dialogues on high-stake, contentious issues, incorporating strategic vision and tactical approaches to achieve constructive outcomes.
3. Negotiation Frameworks: Understand and apply various conceptual frameworks for complex negotiations, including transactional, relational, and adversarial models, tailored to specific contexts and relationships.
4. Interpersonal Skills and Tension Management: Enhance interpersonal skills to navigate challenging relationships, employing contemporary tools and methods to manage tensions, de-escalate conflicts, and perform effectively under pressure. ESC 2024-2025 - Course at a glance
5. Practical Application and Reflection: Leverage insights from seasoned practitioners through experiential learning, simulations, and group work, enabling students to confidently engage in face-to-face negotiations with difficult counterparts and reflect on their personal development and capabilities

This experiential course is designed to equip participants with essential negotiation skills and tools needed to navigate complex and adversarial environments.

The course is divided in 10 modules over 2 weeks:

1. Engaging with Difficult Counterparts
2. Negotiation Models in Policy Environments
3. Context Analysis and Search for Common Shared Space
4. Stakeholder mapping and influence exercises
5. Value Proposition and Scenario Development
6. Building trust and fostering legitimacy
7. De-escalation techniques in adversarial relationships
8. Mandate Design
9. Risk management exercises
10. Enhancing Negotiation Success

Full price: CHF 1’700
Partner rate (MSF, ICRC): CHF 1’360 (20% discount)
Special Rate: CHF 850. Available exclusively to nationals or staff from local/national NGOs, CBOs, government, INGOs, or IOs in low/middle-income countries (OECD DAC list) with salaries aligned to local living costs. Proof required.

Professionals in the humanitarian, development or social sector looking to develop their competencies in negotiation, as well as reflect and capitalize on their experience as negotiators • Professionals from other sectors (political analysts, decision-makers, government officials, donor agencies) who wish to increase their understanding of negotiation in humanitarian settings.