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Welcome to the Negotiation Skills "Feedback Guide"

The ability to provide and receive clear, actionable feedback is a cornerstone of professional and personal growth. At The Negotiation Club, we believe that practice, combined with constructive feedback... is the pathway to mastery!

This guide outlines the importance of feedback in negotiation practice, guidance on delivering effective feedback, and an explanation of our structured capability assessment levels.

 

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Why Negotiation Feedback is Essential

  1. Enhances Awareness: Feedback allows individuals to identify areas of strength and improvement, particularly in applying specific tactics.
  2. Promotes Growth: Constructive feedback fosters learning, helping practitioners refine their negotiation style and skill set.
  3. Encourages Experimentation: Knowing that mistakes are part of the learning process creates a safe environment for experimenting with new tactics.

The benefit of any effective evaluation is in the way it is applied. It can be challenging to accept constructive feedback—whether positive or critical. In negotiation practice, evaluating others, being open to evaluations yourself and applying feedback to enhance your negotiation skills are crucial elements of growth.

"Members rely on each other’s evaluations to refine their negotiation techniques and develop strategic competence."

Providing constructive feedback in negotiation practice is just as important as receiving and implementing feedback yourself. Assessors play a key role in identifying strengths and areas for improvement, ensuring that participants gain practical insights they can apply in real-world scenarios.

In this guide, you will learn strategies to effectively receive feedback and apply it to improve your negotiation abilities. You will also learn how to deliver tactful and constructive feedback, ensuring it is both actionable and motivating. You will gain an understanding of how to identify the type of feedback an individual requires, the importance of using positive and specific language in feedback, and the difference between feedback and advice.

 

Success Begins with Accepting Feedback

Accepting a constructive evaluation is an integral part of improving as a negotiator. During negotiation practice, there are numerous opportunities to use the responses of the other party, observers, and evaluators to refine your approach. Embracing feedback as a tool for growth will accelerate your development and enhance your ability to navigate negotiations effectively.

 

The Role of the Negotiation Observer

During a negotiation practice session:

  • Focus: The Observer’s primary role is to evaluate how effectively the designated tactic is incorporated.
  • Take Notes: Document observations about the participant’s use of the tactic, including specific examples.
  • Provide Feedback: Offer a balanced and constructive critique in the allocated 3-minute feedback period.
  • Capability Assessment: Assign a capability level based on the participant’s use of the tactic.

 

Personal Goals in Negotiation Practice

Before assessing a negotiator's performance, check with them about their personal objectives for the session. While general evaluation criteria apply to all participants, each negotiator may have specific skills they wish to develop.

Understanding their individual goals in advance improves the relevance and quality of your feedback.

For example, a negotiator might aim to:

  • Improve their ability to ask open questions
  • Enhance their concession management
  • Develop a more persuasive negotiation style
  • Strengthen their confidence in handling objections

By aligning your feedback with their objectives, you provide more valuable and actionable insights.

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Guidance on Giving Feedback

  • Be Specific: Highlight exact moments where the tactic was used effectively or ineffectively.
  • Balanced Approach: Include both positive feedback and areas for improvement.
  • Future-Oriented: Offer actionable suggestions to refine the tactic.

 

Providing Appropriate Feedback

Effective feedback should be tailored to the experience level and confidence of the negotiator:

 

For New Negotiators:
  1. If a participant is new to negotiation practice, focus on what they are doing well to build their confidence.
  2. Encouragement should come first, followed by a few targeted areas for improvement. A strong foundation of confidence will allow them to improve faster and feel motivated to continue practicing.

 

For Experienced Negotiators:
  1. For participants with more negotiation experience, provide deeper and more detailed feedback on how to refine and enhance their skills.
  2. Offer insights on how they can elevate their negotiation strategy, improve their adaptability and strengthen their tactical approach, while still including positive reinforcement.
  3. Balancing positive remarks with areas for growth ensures that feedback is both constructive and motivating, helping negotiators at all levels improve in a supportive learning environment.

 

What Poor Feedback Looks Like:
  • Vague: Avoid general comments that lack examples.
  • Overly Critical: Focus solely on negatives without constructive suggestions.
  • Overloaded: Providing too much feedback can overwhelm the participant.
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The Difference Between 'Feedback' and 'Advice'

 

It is important to understand the difference between providing feedback and offering advice.

"Feedback is information based on observations, while advice is an opinion or suggestion."

In negotiation practice, feedback should focus on describing what was observed rather than prescribing what should be done. Effective feedback allows the negotiator to understand how their behaviour is perceived and make informed adjustments.
To illustrate the difference between advice and feedback, consider the following examples:

Advice... Feedback...
"Don’t be so hesitant." "I noticed that you paused frequently before responding."
"You should be more confident." "Your tone was quiet, and your statements were sometimes phrased as questions."
"Try to ask more open-ended questions." "I observed that most of your questions could be answered with a simple yes or no."
"You need to make stronger counteroffers." "I noticed that you accepted the first offer without proposing an alternative."
"Make sure you control the negotiation more." "I observed that the other party led most of the conversation, while you spoke less frequently."

By focusing on what was observed rather than what should be done, feedback helps the negotiator develop self-awareness and refine their approach in a way that aligns with their own style and objectives.

Assessing "Capability Levels"

Each participant will be assessed on how effectively they incorporate a designated negotiation tactic or technique during practice. Observers should use the levels below to guide their evaluation and feedback, helping participants understand where they are on their development journey and what to work on next.


🟠 Level 1 – Awareness & Attempt

 
"Emerging Skill"
  • The participant demonstrates a basic understanding of the tactic.
  • They recognise when it might be useful and make attempts to apply it during the negotiation.
  • Use of the tactic is inconsistent or unclear, and its impact on the negotiation is limited.

Observer cue: “Did they show signs they understood the tactic and tried to use it, even if it didn’t quite land?”

 

🟡 Level 2 – Appropriate Use & Integration

 

"Developing Skill"
  • The participant incorporates the tactic at relevant moments within the negotiation.
  • Their use of the tactic contributes positively to the interaction (e.g., gathering information, slowing pace, redirecting conversation).
  • The tactic is applied with more consistency, though still with room for refinement.

Observer cue: “Did they use the tactic in a way that clearly supported the negotiation, even if there’s still room to sharpen it?”


🟢 Level 3 – Mastery & Impact


"Competent Skill"
  • The participant uses the tactic fluently and with intention.
  • It has a clear, positive impact on the direction or outcome of the negotiation (e.g., shifts power, creates movement, reveals key info).
  • Their use of the tactic demonstrates control, timing, and adaptability.

Observer cue: “Did they use the tactic in a way that changed the game — advancing their position or influencing the outcome?”

Importance of Practicing at The Negotiation Club

Understanding the challenge of any negotiation tactic or technique is just the first step. Like any negotiation skills, their effective application requires practice. This is where negotiation clubs or practice groups can be invaluable so JOIN OUR CLUB TODAY (30 Day FREE Trial) :

1. Developing Intuition:

Repeated practice helps you develop a natural feel for when and how to build relationships, making it second nature.

2. Building Confidence:

Practicing in a safe environment boosts your confidence to employ these techniques in real-world situations.

3. Receiving Feedback:

Constructive feedback from peers and trainers helps refine your approach, ensuring you can build relationships effectively without compromising your negotiation goals.

4. Adapting to Situations:

Practice allows you to adapt your techniques to different scenarios and personalities, enhancing your flexibility and effectiveness.