MCAI Speaker Series - John Koontz "Basic Negotiating Skills for Project Managers"

About Speaker:  John Koontz, MCAA Director of Project Management Education – A former tenured associate professor in Purdue University’s Department of Building Construction Management, John has been teaching since 1992. Before that, he spent 15 years in the employment of MCAA contractors in roles including senior project manager, project manager, project engineer, and estimator.

See brochure for more information.

Topic: Basic Negotiating Skills for Project Managers

Mechanical project managers spend a substantial part of each day negotiating. They negotiate numerous items including customer issues, change orders, subcontracts, equipment and material purchases, rental equipment rates, submittal and shop drawing approval, time and space allocation, back charges, etc. In contrast with their customers and vendors, most project managers have no formal training in negotiating, putting them at a great disadvantage. This seminar provides the basic skills to improve negotiating abilities and increase the project manager’s comfort level when negotiating.

Discussion topics will include:

• Understanding that negotiating ability is learned and requires certain skills and continuous practice and refinement
• Understanding how your “personality profile” and personal strengths and weaknesses affect negotiating ability and potential
• The process and methodology of negotiating
• The importance of creativity in negotiating
• Understanding the importance of “win-win” negotiating and long-term relationships
• Negotiating consciously following methodology rather than “winging it”
• Qualities, traits, and characteristics of great negotiators
• The importance of controlling your emotions when negotiating
• Understanding the issue of leverage and using leverage to your advantage
• Getting over the resistance or fear of asking for what you need or want
• How to respond or deal with a “no” or “maybe” answer
• The importance of proper preparation
• Dealing with being blind-sided/surprised
• The importance of knowing and understanding the other person and their needs
• Why you must believe that everything is negotiable
• Learning to say NO
• Knowing when to walk away
• Understanding the importance of authority–theirs and yours
• Staying cool under fire
• Risk/benefit analysis
• The importance of patience and persistence
• Rules for negotiating price
• Rules for conceding
• Talking, questioning, listening, and silence