Negotiation and Conflict Management: Laying the Groundwork

The first time learners use Bodyswaps, this onboarding sequence familiarises them with the features of the app, takes them through an avatar selection and embodiment activity, and prepares them for the experience to come. 

In the induction, learners will: 

• Find out how this training is different from the rest
• Select their avatar
• Discover their virtual journal
• Learn how to navigate and use the tools and settings

Zak and Amira begin the module by chatting about how negotiations with one another usually go quite well, because they have a good connection. It’s much harder to negotiate with someone when you don’t have that rapport to begin with. But they’re going to help prepare the learner for laying that positive groundwork with others. 

After setting out the goals for the module, the coaches then invite the learner to complete a short likert-style self-reflection survey, to indicate how confident they feel about the following key learning points:

• Making effective small talk
• Building rapport and trust
• Managing the impression they make
• Using active listening to understand the other person better

These self-reflection questions will be repeated in the debrief at the end, to assess how the learner’s confidence levels have changed.

Note: If you wish to receive data about how the learner’s confidence levels have changed as a consequence of the training, it’s important that they complete this introduction and the debrief at the end. 

Zak opens the topic by wondering why he can so easily negotiate with his sister, but discussing rent with his landlady fills him with anxiety. Both situations potentially involve conflict, yet he feels very differently about them.

Amira reveals it’s because of our 'mental models' – our ingrained assumptions about how the world works. They affect our perception of situations, including negotiations. 

To get the learner thinking about their own mental models, and to help activate their working memory for the learning to come, this diagnostic activity invites them to reflect on how they perceive and approach negotiations. 

Zak and Amira present them with different examples of negotiation situations, and the learner chooses what they might say, or how they feel, from a series of three-option multiple choice questions. The responses reflect three different approaches: 

• Concerned with own outcomes
• Desires outcomes that satisfy everyone 
• Conflict avoidant

An on-screen visual reveals which approach each chosen response reflects. Then, once the learner has responded to all the scenarios, Zak and Amira provide feedback based on which mental model their answers were most closely aligned with. 

For example, if they were mostly concerned with their own outcomes, Amira and Zak gently explain how this approach is often counterproductive. A more flexible approach that seeks mutual benefit will lead to better outcomes. 

When relationship-building with people we don’t yet know, the first step is to get comfortable with starting a conversation and making small talk. 

So, in this dual observation activity, the learner sits in on a conversation between Dan Munro and Michelle Boothe to watch how Dan makes effective, or not so effective, small talk. Dan, a recruiter at Greensleeves, has arranged to have a casual coffee chat with Michelle, founder of travel company Eco Adventures, to do some relationship-building with her. 

While observing their chat, the learner’s goal is to spot examples of Dan making good small talk, which progresses his connection with Michelle, as well as bad small talk, which stops the exchange in its tracks or misses rapport-building opportunities. 

Visual feedback is provided in real time to indicate if a learner has correctly identified a behaviour. Summary feedback is also supplied at the end of the conversation, with a panel of buttons indicating which instances of good and bad small talk they spotted. 

If the learner selects one of the buttons, it will rewind the conversation to the corresponding instance for the learner to rewatch it. Then, text feedback explains why that example of small talk laid great groundwork, or created a rift between Dan and Michelle.  

Back in the tutor room, Zak reveals to the learner that it’s now their turn to chat with Michelle, to practise using small talk and keep the rapport building going with her. 

Zak and Amira share some quick pieces of advice for building rapport, such as using empathy and effective, open questions, then the learner heads back over to the coffee shop to pick up where Dan left off. 

In this scaffolded conversation activity, the learner chooses what to say from three given options, each of which elicits a different response from Michelle. A pop-up also provides additional information about the impact of what they said. 

By selecting the right responses at each stage in the conversation, the learner keeps developing a connection with Michelle, makes a positive impression and, importantly, starts to grow trust.

No branching or complex evaluation occurs across a scaffolded conversation, and whilst the learner must choose the ‘right’ approach to progress, it's also a chance to run with their curiosity and try out different responses. They can still choose the ‘wrong’ ones and get a taster of the various turns their exchange with Michelle could take. 

The previous conversation wraps up with Michelle inviting the learner to meet her later for another chat. So, in this topic, it’s time for the learner to join her at the Sustainable Travel Convention and keep the relationship-building going – this time by being an active listener.  

In this freeform conversation activity, the learner’s goal is to respond to Michelle in a way that shows they were actively listening to what she said. 

By doing so, Michelle feels more open to sharing her hopes and wants for Eco Adventures, which would make future discussions and negotiations much more productive. In contrast, if the learner doesn’t pay attention and respond appropriately to Michelle’s key messages, the conversation starts to flounder.

As the learner responds to Michelle, speaking aloud in their own words, AI analytics look for keywords that suggest good or poor active listening. For example, good active listening focuses on validating Michelle’s feelings and reflecting back, such as “tell me more”, “If I’m hearing correctly”, and “I can see why”. Phrases such as “you’re wrong”, “deal”, “my”, and “money” suggest poor active listening and a self-focused approach. 

The learner also receives some helpful feedback on their use of eye contact and speaking pace for communicating clearly and engagingly, as well as some closing pointers from Zak and Amira that reflect how well the learner performed the task. 

Zak and Amira congratulate the learner for completing their journey through the module. They wrap up by offering the learner a final reminder that successful negotiations rely on mutual respect and trust, and good small talk and rapport-building will help them forge and nurture connections with others.

Now, the learner is invited to take the same likert-style survey from the beginning, to encourage them to reflect and self-report on their confidence levels following completion of the training. 

The questions relate to how confident they now feel about the key learning points: 

• Making effective small talk
• Building rapport and trust
• Managing the impression they make
• Using active listening to understand the other person better

Before the learner leaves the module, they are asked to complete a short survey about their experience. 

This survey is not compulsory, but the data helps us to assess the effectiveness of our product and identify any areas that need improvement. Clients also find it beneficial when assessing ROI. 

They are asked to mark whether they agree or disagree with the following statements, on a 10 point scale: 

• I would recommend this experience to others 
• The experience helped me identify elements I could improve upon
• I now have a better understanding of how to build positive relationships before a negotiation begins