FAQs
Scotwork was founded in 1975 with one objective: to bring structure and clarity to the way people negotiate. Through our 8-Step Approach©, we became pioneers in the way negotiation was taught, basing our programme around experiential learning through real-world scenarios, video evidence, and coached debriefs. No one else comes close.
Yes, our global standards are applied locally across all markets. We are unrivalled in our mix of global reach and rich local knowledge. Our network of 180+ local consultants, spanning 30 languages, enables us to adapt to local cultures while delivering consistent, world-class negotiation principles worldwide.
We have coached hundreds of thousands of senior managers in 30 languages, and have grown into the world’s number one independent negotiation consultancy, with offices in 50 countries and operating across 120 countries.
We introduced ROI tracking in 1989 and it consistently shows strong client results just 90 days after training through our follow-up questionnaire. Validated by customer feedback and manager outcomes, our clients gain an average ROI of 16.08 x the course fee within three months.
We believe that this is the minimum ratio to provide the quality feedback required for the unscripted negotiation debriefs to be constructive following case plays. This guarantees you plenty of high-quality one-on-one time with our consultants for targeted support and advice.
Our tutors are negotiation experts – real-world business professionals with decades of experience across hundreds of industries. Each tutor has gone through a rigorous 4 stage ‘Train the Trainer’ scheme with regular audits to ensure quality performance and high standards are maintained.
We train all sectors – the skills are universal and transferable. With 80% of our course dedicated to live negotiation practice using realistic, real-world scenarios where participants take part in live case-play exercises, we can tailor our cases specific to your sector.
Yes, we support our clients in three ways. Firstly, we can advise teams prior to or during negotiations, such as developing a playbook for effective preparation and consistent delivery for recurring negotiations. Secondly, we can join teams during negotiations as a seamless extension of our client’s workforce while bringing independent perspective and discipline. Thirdly, we can lead teams by providing strategic direction, coordination and debriefing as well as helping to unpick the intricacies of complex negotiations.
Price varies depending on the type of Scotwork course you attend, the location of the course, whether it’s organisational or open course training, and any additional services requested. To find out more please contact us.
We understand that the learning does not end in the classroom and we continue to help strengthen the knowledge and skills, building confidence for future recall and application in your real-world scenarios. We ensure best practice before, during and after all negotiations. We reinforce best practice process, skills and behaviours. We incorporate negotiation best practice into your organisational structure, strategy and processes.
Yes, we have CPD Accreditation for our Advancing Negotiation Skills course. You can also receive a certificate of course completion that you can include in LinkedIn.
During the 1970’s we developed the 8-Step Approach to negotiating. An understanding of the process allows you to map your progress and decide what needs to be done to move on, to slow things down, and to stall the negotiation until a later date. Your knowledge of the process is one of the fundamental controlling mechanisms at your disposal during a negotiation.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/control-in-negotiation/
Resolve workplace conflict by first identifying its cause and whether it’s a misunderstanding or emotional reaction. Avoid circular arguments – acknowledge the other person’s view and propose solutions. Use negotiation to trade priorities, conceding low-value items for high-value gains. Consider consequences of delay, giving in, or imposing solutions, and aim for practical, mutual agreement.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/resolving-every-day-conflicts/
Procurement negotiation is exactly as it says – the process by which procurement negotiators communicate with vendors to agree favorable terms within a supply contract. The process is adopted both when negotiating a contract with a new supplier or when negotiating new terms with an existing vendor, as part of the contract renewal process.
Throughout the procurement process, the procurement team will be managing various internal departments such as IT, Finance or Compliance, as well as multiple vendors. Despite the complex chain of stakeholders, the procurement team needs to be constantly working towards agreeing the fairest price and payment terms, delivery methods, timeframes and quality standards.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/procurement-negotiation-training/
We identify 5 leading negotiating styles:
- Accommodating – An accommodating negotiator’s primary goal is to maintain the relationship between themselves and the other party.
- Avoiding – The avoidance negotiation style is about avoiding conflict at all costs; here, neither the relationship with the client nor the goal of the discussion is essential.
- Collaborating – Collaborators are extremely valuable to a business or company for their ability to work as a team with the other party to find solutions and meet the needs of both sides.
- Competing – Competitive negotiators are goal-oriented, ruthless and aggressive in how they approach conflict. The relationship with the other party is not a priority.
- Compromising – The compromiser is a neutral negotiation style that looks for mutually beneficial solutions to a conflict. Like hagglers, they want to meet in the middle.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/top-5-negotiation-styles/
A negotiation aims to reach a mutually beneficial agreement between two or more people. It is a fine art, a balancing act that requires you to think critically, listen actively and get creative with your response. However, learning how to do this on your own can feel impossible. Advice is conflicting, and copying your colleagues might get you into bad habits. Scotwork offers virtual training courses and that’s why taking an online negotiation course could be the answer to all of your problems.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/5-reasons-to-take-a-negotiation-course/
Here are our 5 main benefits of business negotiation:
- Builds respect – Negotiating well can leave a lasting impression on others of an excellent problem-solver, innovator and influential director.
- Builds confidence – Learning how to negotiate well can allow you to leave your worries at the door when holding a meeting or securing a new deal.
- Active listening – Contrary to popular belief, negotiation isn’t just talking the talk. It is about actively listening to what the other party is saying and identifying what they want, what they need, and what is negotiable.
- Maximise value – You never want just to accept the first offer you are given in business, usually because it is the best offer for them, but not for you. Negotiating gives you the best chance of making an equal deal that benefits everyone.
- Creates win-win situations – Despite what television might have us believe, master negotiators aren’t about beating the other party; they want to create a win-win scenario for everyone.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/the-benefits-of-negotiation-skills-in-business/
Here are the top 7 negotiation myths:
- Negotiation is all about winning
- Negotiation is about compromise
- Negotiation is all about the price
- Good negotiators are born, not made
- The first offer sets the anchor
- Negotiations are always confrontational
- You should never reveal your bottom line
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/negotiation-myths/
Cross-cultural negotiations can be a challenging task, especially if you are not familiar with the cultural differences between you and the other party. However, with proper preparation and the right approach, you can achieve a successful negotiation outcome. In our article on the topic, we discuss 10 essential tips for successful cross-cultural negotiations.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/tips-for-successful-cross-cultural-negotiation/
Sales negotiation training provides numerous benefits for individuals and organizations looking to improve their negotiation skills. The training can improve communication skills, increase confidence, enhance preparation, improve decision-making, increase revenue, improve relationships, reduce conflicts, improve time management, increase customer satisfaction, and provide a competitive advantage. By investing in sales negotiation training, businesses can improve their negotiation skills, secure better deals, and achieve their objectives.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/benefits-of-sales-negotiation-training/
Here are the top 8 mistakes made during negotiations:
- Taking shortcuts
- Failure to build trust
- Lack of preparation
- Lack of consideration
- Attempting to win dishonestly
- Refusal to compromise
- Failure to walk away
- Letting emotions get in the way
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/common-negotiation-mistakes/
Negotiation aims to create a mutually advantageous agreement between two or more parties. Verbal communication is important but reading someone’s intentions, feelings, and reactions through body language is also possible.
Body language includes nonverbal signs, including posture, gestures, and facial expressions, that can convey a person’s genuine emotions and intentions. Negotiators can better understand the opposing party’s viewpoint by observing these cues, which will aid them in navigating the negotiation process.
Maintaining eye contact, adopting an open stance, and making welcoming gestures are examples of positive body language that foster trust and encourage open communication, resulting in a more productive negotiation environment.
Confident body language can assist in building credibility and affect how our bargaining skills and abilities are perceived. Examples of such body language include standing strong, making assertive gestures, and being cool.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/is-body-language-important-in-negotiation/
Scotwork offers virtual training courses and here are our top tips to get the most out of your virtual negotiations.
Preparation: Preparing for virtual negotiations is crucial. In fact, preparation plays a more important role in virtual negotiation than it does in face-to-face negotiations.
Technology: With the right technology in place, you can not only overcome the challenges of virtual negotiations but also leverage the benefits to achieve successful outcomes.
Be Creative: Thinking outside of the box can help you come up with unique solutions and create value in a virtual negotiation. One way to be creative is to think about the interests and needs of the other party beyond their stated positions. You can also use storytelling or metaphors to illustrate your points and make them more memorable and compelling. By engaging the other party’s imagination and emotions, you can build rapport and influence their decision-making.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/virtual-negotiations/
A deadlock occurs when no one is prepared to concede and negotiating parties cannot reach an agreement. The key to breaking deadlock is to focus on the collective goal – to identify and agree on a “win-win” outcome. That’s often easier said than done, particularly when emotions are running high.
- Take a break.
- Reframe your offer.
- Problem solve.
- Find common ground.
Remembering that the negotiating party is human can help you to empathise and recognise their feelings. Deadlock can be resolved constructively by adopting techniques such as establishing common ground or reframing your offer. Such negotiating approaches can help get fellow negotiators back onside and get the ball rolling again.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/how-to-break-a-deadlock-in-negotiation/
Let’s take a look at some top tips for solid relationship building in negotiation.
Open communication – Clear communication is imperative when there’s room for misunderstandings, like when negotiations span countries or industries.
Build trust – Trust is usually earned over time, through actions that demonstrate reliability and integrity. If you’ve promised to do something, follow through. If something prevents you from doing so, be open about it.
Empathise – Practice active listening, frequently playing back the other side’s responses to ensure you understand their motivation. When you listen closely to someone, they’re more inclined to trust you and you may learn more about their interests, opening the door to alternative solutions if you’ve hit a deadlock.
Manage conflict – How you manage conflict can earn you a degree of respect. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away, and can make the other person feel frustrated. They may even believe you have contempt for them, putting them off from working with you again.
Collaborate – By working together with your deal partners, you can create deals that benefit both sides. Everyone will feel more invested in the agreement and more prepared to accept the outcome.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/tips-for-relationship-building-in-negotiation/
Here are five types of questions that will keep you in control, even when the negotiation takes an unexpected turn.
Open-ended questions – Open-ended questions are those that require an answer beyond a basic “yes” or “no.” They usually begin with “how” or “what” and are an effective means of encouraging dialogue and building rapport.
Probing questions – A subset of open-ended questions, probing questions help uncover extra information from the other party. Use probing questions as a way to draw out a deeper answer if you feel that the other party is displaying emotional resistance and holding back useful information.
Clarifying questions – Clarifying questions help to confirm whether you have understood the other side’s proposal correctly, or not, before you sign on the dotted line.
Hypothetical questions – Hypothetical questions can be used as a strategic device to allow you to successfully broach uncomfortable yet relevant information without offending.
No-oriented questions – It might sound counterintuitive, but introducing no-orientated questions into the state of play can yield some positive results. By giving the other person an “out” (permission to say no), they are likely to feel more in control and, as a result, more positively disposed towards you for the duration of the negotiation.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/questions-to-ask-during-negotiation/
According to Scotwork research, over 80% of sales negotiators have no fallback plan for when negotiated contracts don’t work as hoped. With the right preparation, renegotiation is an option.
If your contract is longer-term and cannot be changed, or a renegotiation clause has been omitted, you can still change the outcome by making a new proposal, making sure that it:
- Addresses inequalities
- Is specific
- Is a trade, not a demand
- Gets the right people on board
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/how-to-renegotiate-a-contract/
What does non-negotiable mean in the context of high-stakes negotiation? It’s not just a strongly worded preference; this term refers to core values, beliefs, or requirements that are often considered deal breakers.
Non-negotiables mark the point at which the agreement ceases to be beneficial or becomes too risky to continue.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/non-negotiable-meaning/
What many employees don’t realise is that most employers expect some level of negotiation of a severance package.
Severance negotiations are a vital part of ensuring you receive the severance pay that reflects your value and accurately compensates you for your length of service. In our article we go into the best ways you can prepare to negotiate your severance, including some top strategies and tactics.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/how-to-negotiate-severance/
Negotiations often fail because of poor preparation, emotional reactions, lack of clarity on priorities, or an over-focus on winning rather than structuring value.
Failure is rarely caused by price alone. It is usually behavioural.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/common-negotiation-mistakes/
A fallback position is an alternative outcome you are prepared to accept if your primary objective cannot be achieved.
Having a clear fallback reduces emotional decision-making and prevents last-minute concessions driven by pressure.
https://www.scotwork.com/resources/we-surveyed-6-600-salespeople-and-this-is-what-we-found
A position is what someone says they want. An interest is why they want it.
Positions often conflict. Interests can often be aligned.
Effective negotiators move beyond stated positions to uncover underlying interests, creating more variables to trade and increasing the chances of agreement.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/no-oriented-questions-in-negotiation
Leadership sets the tone, model and standards for behaviour throughout the organisation. Leaders influence negotiation outcomes not by making every decision themselves, but by shaping culture, expectations and capability.
Effective negotiation leadership involves:
- Creating a clear negotiation framework and process
- Encouraging disciplined preparation and role clarity
- Ensuring teams understand organisational priorities and limits
- Modelling the behaviours the organisation values in negotiation
- Coaching and developing others to handle complexity and pressure
When leaders embed structured negotiation behaviours, they increase consistency, reduce risk and strengthen outcomes at all levels of the organisation.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/what-is-the-role-of-leadership-in-negotiation/
Behaviour shapes how people communicate, make decisions and respond to pressure. Differences in behavioural style influence how parties gather information, interpret offers, manage conflict and build trust.
- Understanding behaviour helps negotiators:
- Communicate in ways the other side can receive
- Adjust their approach to reduce friction
- Recognise pressure tactics and avoid reacting emotionally
- Use their own style effectively while compensating for weaknesses
Behaviour profiling isn’t about personality labels, it’s about adapting actions so negotiators remain constructive, disciplined and outcome-focused under pressure.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/behaviour-profiling-in-negotiation/
When you suspect the other side is being untruthful, negotiation success depends on focusing on behavioural discipline and objective standards, rather than getting drawn into arguments about honesty.
Key approaches include:
- Separate behaviour from the issue: Stay focused on interests and observable facts rather than debating truthfulness.
- Demand clarity and evidence: Ask questions that require specific information or proof rather than accepting vague claims.
- Use objective criteria: Anchor the discussion on verifiable standards (data, benchmarks, documented requirements) rather than subjective statements.
- Control the process, not the accusation: Calling someone a liar rarely helps; instead, reinforce the negotiation structure and expectations.
- Watch patterns, not one statements: Consistent inconsistencies matter more than isolated slips.
When you emphasise verifiable information and process over debate about truth, you maintain leverage and keep the negotiation productive.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/how-to-negotiate-with-a-liar/
No-oriented questions are framing techniques that invite the other party to answer “no,” which can make people feel more comfortable, safe, and in control. These questions reduce defensiveness and open up deeper conversation.
For example, rather than asking “Do you agree with this?”, you might ask:
“Is it unreasonable to think that…?” or
“Is now a bad time to discuss this?”
A “no” answer signals that the respondent feels in control and less pressured, which often leads to more honest dialogue and better outcomes.
https://www.scotwork.com/negotiation-insights/no-oriented-questions-in-negotiation/