Level Of Skill

BASIC SKILLS: Use ideas persuasively •Keep the attention of others. •Explain the benefits of your argument. •Develop a line of reasoned argument •Put your points across clearly and concisely •Understand the concerns and needs of the person you are dealing with.

INTERMEDIATE SKILLS: Gain support •Emphasise how costs and problems can be minimised •Handle objections. •Challenge the points of view expressed by others. •Get other people to support your views.

HIGH LEVEL SKILLS: Develop strategies. •Use a range of approaches and strategies to gain support for ideas. •Give an example of when your idea has been used successfully in some other context. •Make concessions when required to reach agreement: work for a win-win situation. •Form long term relationships.

NEGATIVE STRATEGIES! •Negotiating to win (see above) •Gain power by undermining the position of others. •Don't show respect for others views. Put down their ideas. •Impose your own views rather than reasoning with others.