How can feedback improve your Negotiation skills assessment?

We evaluate our negotiation skills by our ability to effectively communicate and persuade others with compelling information. How well do we present our arguments? Are we listening closely to be able to respond appropriately to the other side(s)? Are we informed enough to present valuable and factual evidence in our favor? These are all pieces of the puzzle. When it comes to delivering an engaging and persuasive argument, it's not just about the content. Our tone, approach, and overall communication skills also play a crucial role. These elements combine to form a set of negotiation skills that can be assessed.

Evaluation of negotiation skills is usually based upon a rubric, which informs learners of the markers of a good negotiator. It is important that a comprehensive assessment is not simply academic or box-checking in nature, but also allows for learners to be given credit in their reflections from the assessment experience too. Whilst the performance can feel artificial given the nature of assessments, the key aspect of the assessment must be about providing learners with constructive feedback as well as encouragement to keep improving in their journey as a negotiator. Every one of us brings value in our role as negotiators and that spark in us should be nurtured consistently even through assessments and the subsequent feedback.

Feedback is key for assessment purposes because it invites learners to be validated for what they have done well and what they can do differently in the future. It also builds a healthy attitude towards negotiation, reminding us to be humble as negotiators and that there are always things to improve upon. Also, it is a useful "going to the balcony" resource, allowing us a glimpse as to how others view us as we negotiate. This insight makes us better communicators, better negotiators and better professionals in the long run- if we are willing to be open and learn from the feedback provided.

The only way to grow is to be able to reflect upon our progress. An excellent form of reflection is to receive outside feedback. Feedback allows us to hear about gaps and areas to improve upon which we may not be able to see from being in the driver's seat.

Seek feedback from those who have already done what you want to do. Invest your time, energy, money to get the most out of their 10,000 hours. This will help you scale your own negotiation skills up faster, and with less obstacles on the way.

Be specific in what a learner has done well and could do differently. Constructive feedback is about clarity and direction. What are the one or two things that the learner has done well in the assessment? What can they consider doing differently in the next negotiation? Invite learners to consider the different ways of addressing the same situation moving forward whilst also inviting their thought process on how they did it the first time. It is encouraging to a learner that their viewpoints are respected and that they are given due respect and consideration about what else they can do differently. Listening emphatically to the learner's thought process also demonstrates leading by example as to how to be a better communicator for instance.

Asking for feedback in the moment, when you sense communication isn’t going as you had hoped, is some of the most powerful feedback you can solicit. This is where you receive the person’s uncensored view; it doesn’t mean they’re “right” but there will be at least a golden nugget you can integrate in to your practice. Feedback isn’t personal, it’s just course-correcting info. Be brave and try this out first in a low-impact scenario, and then build from there.