Global Negotiation – Skills & Strategies

I partner with Marianne Goodwin, a negotiation expert and instructor, to offer training for negotiators at all levels. Our training is always tailored to the specific needs of the organizations and individuals we work with, but generally focuses on building the skills needed to succeed in each phase of a negotiation – from preparation, through navigating challenging dynamics at the negotiating table, to the implementation of agreements.

Our approach is multi-disciplinary and draws from decades of practical experience in multilateral and bilateral negotiations, international treaty drafting and implementation, public sector reform, and climate and environmental security.  We include interactive exercises and role-play simulations to engage participants in hands-on application of key negotiation strategies and concepts.  Structured debrief discussions help to identify lessons learned and foster individual skill development.

Our goal is to help individuals who are new to this work or seeking to improve their skills to negotiate effectively, whether in their communities or internationally. We aim to empower a new generation of creative, skilled negotiators who can develop solutions to the challenges we face today and chart a new course for the future.

Topics usually featured in our training include:

  • Identifying the role of expectations and assumptions in negotiation

  • Examining structure & levels within negotiation (internal team, across the table, decision makers)

  • Analyzing stakeholders impacted by the negotiation and sources and levels of influence

  • Developing strategies for each phase of a negotiation

  • Defining duties and tasks of the negotiator and building trust

  • Negotiating in international and multilateral settings, to include working with rules of procedure, consensus decision-making, and planning for both formal and informal aspects of international meetings

  • Utilizing the “interest-based” framework to prepare for and conduct a negotiation

  • Communicating and negotiating effectively across cultures

We offer workshops from 1 to 4 days in length for negotiators at all levels of experience. Our network of experts, with experience including government and corporate negotiations, gender in negotiations and communication, and civil society capacity building, help us to design tailored training with scenarios and practical exercises which are directly relevant for participants. Workshop fees depend on the number of days and participants. Contact us at info@continua.world with any questions, or to schedule a call to discuss your organization’s needs and goals. We look forward to hearing from you!  

Our experience:

Marianne is an expert in delivering and designing training in negotiation skills and working across cultures. She prepares groups for effective participation in team-to-team and multilateral negotiations. Marianne focuses especially on orienting people to new negotiation assignments and roles, to learn what to expect and how they can best contribute to reach desired outcomes.  She has represented the U.S. government in arms control and security-related negotiations and delivered training programs to diplomats, scientists and military officers from the U.S., Afghanistan, Iraq, and the UK.

Abigail is an experienced negotiator and facilitator with specific experience supporting government reforms in conflict-affected contexts. She helps groups build the skills needed to effectively communicate and negotiate with stakeholders including their own leaders, government agencies, and local communities. Her current areas of focus include climate security and the role of women in the security sector. Her previous positions include program manager with the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance and Deputy Head of the U.S. Delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.