Negotiation Skills Workshop

Final Program Report

by CMPartners, LLC

Negotiation Skills Workshop

Presented by

The Nepal Ministry of Health and Population

and

The Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC)

in partnership with The Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health

(MLI)

Nepal Ministry of Health and Population and Nepal Administrative Staff College

Negotiation Skills Workshop

Final Program Report

The Nepal Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and the Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) in partnership with the Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health (MLI) presented a two-day Negotiation Skills Workshop on April 30 – May 1, 2011. The workshop was held on the NASC campus in Kathmandu.

The Negotiation Skills Workshop transferred to participants the leading theory, tools and techniques in the fields of negotiation and communication with an emphasis on practical applications in their everyday professional lives. Gardner Heaton, Senior Consultant, of the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based training and consulting firm, CMPartners, LLC, observed the training.

Observations:

1. The MoHP and NASC facilitation team delivered the Negotiation Skills Workshop extraordinarily well. Each facilitator exceeded expectations in their mastery of the content and presentation skills.

2. MLI, MoHP and NASC should all be very proud of this noteworthy accomplishment.

3. Having been observed by CMPartners the entire facilitation team together and each facilitator individually is granted permission to present the Negotiation Skills Workshop on an ongoing basis.

Recommendations:

Commentary is given below on each of the modules, followed by overall recommendations. I. Background To The Negotiation Skills Workshop

The Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health (MLI), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, seeks to strengthen the leadership capacity of ministries of health in Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. In partnership with Results for Development Initiative (R4D), MLI held several Negotiating Health Development Leadership Training (NHD LT) programs for the Nepal Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP).

MLI also offered a 3-Day NHD Process Training, which shared best practices in the facilitation of negotiation skills workshops. Graduates of the NHD LT Process Training from the Ministry of Health and Population and faculty from the Nepal Administrative Staff College presented the first Negotiation Skills Workshop to participants on April 30 – May 1, 2011at the NASC campus in Kathmandu.

II. Content of the Negotiation Skills Workshops

The Negotiation Skills Workshop presented leading theory, tools and techniques in the fields of negotiation and communication, emphasizing practical applications to the participants’ everyday professional lives. The content of the workshop parallels the content of a World Health Organization publication Negotiating Health Development: A Guide for Practitioners, co-authored by workshop facilitator Elizabeth McClintock.1 The 89-page booklet was written to be useful for practitioners seeking to influence the process of health development.

The workshop introduced participants to a core theory of negotiation presented by Roger Fisher and William Ury in their book Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (Second Edition published by Penguin Books, New York, 1991). The facilitators sought to increase participants’ awareness of the process by which they negotiate, provide a framework for structured thinking about negotiation, provide tools and “best-practice” techniques to negotiate durable agreements and build and maintain stronger working relationships.

After a brief Introduction and Purposes Module facilitators presented the A-B Sell exercise, which provides an introduction to the Communication Skills module. The exercise illustrates for participants that we tend towards advocacy (making statements) over inquiry (asking questions for the purpose of learning). Participants learned about the Strategic Guidelines for Inquiry and Advocacy and concluded the Communications Skills model with a practical exercise, the “Hot Buttons” exercise, which asks participants to practice strategic inquiry skills in the face of strong, counter advocacy.

The facilitators then presented the “Circle of Value” to participants. The Circle contains the three core elements, Interests, Options and Legitimacy, as described in the quick reference image below.

After presenting the Circle of Value facilitators led participants through the Preparation Module. Participants read the Grant Mini-case and prepared for a one-on-one negotiation role-play. To close the workshop, facilitators debriefed the Grant case and discussed next steps with the participants.

1

Drager, N., McClintock, E., Moffitt M. Negotiating Health Development: A Guide for Practitioners. Geneva, Switzerland: Conflict Management Group and World Health Organization, 2000, 89p..

III. Materials

Workshop materials were printed in English and Nepali. Materials included participant booklets, custom cases and preparation worksheets.

The facilitators receive a comprehensive Negotiation Skills Facilitation Manual, which offers detailed instruction on presenting every module and exercise. Facilitators also received the materials they needed to facilitate the Negotiation Skills workshop. These materials include the Negotiation Skills Participant Binder, Negotiation Prep Sheet and Grant Mini Case.

IV. Observations from the Negotiation Skills Workshop

This section outlines abbreviated observation notes for the Negotiation Skills Workshop Training. The reflections and comments are intended to reinforce the high quality of workshop facilitation observed as well as suggest areas of improvement. Where applicable, the facilitators’ names are included for to provide individualized feedback. Overall, the MoHP and NASC facilitation team vastly exceeded expectations in content mastery and facilitation skills. The Negotiation Skills Workshop was a complete success and should yield additional opportunities to present the content.

The facilitation team and each individual facilitator, having been observed by CMPartners, are granted permission to facilitate the Negotiation Skills Workshop on an ongoing basis.

Negotiation Skills Workshop Day 1: Logistics/Facilities:

 Good workshop space (intimate yet housed all participants plus observers); sufficient flipchart stands, paper and pens; access to laptop computer, projector and screen; plenty of staff support provided.

 Very high quality printed materials both in English and Nepali, good use of name tags for participants.

Welcome and Introductions Module (Vinod):

 Warm, welcoming style with energy and enthusiasm. Good eye contact and movement throughout the room.

 NOTE: as official start time of workshop passes thank those who have arrived and indicate that you want to give a little time for additional participants to arrive (15mins); then stick to a new time to begin (or a specific additional number of participants to arrive).

 Table organization helps to balance room; nice effort to move tables by the entire facilitation so participants have good view of screen/flip charts and comfortable seating space.

 Participant introductions (of each other) is a nice way to get people talking and sharing; set good tone of an interactive opportunity to learn that required participation;

 Nice job clarifying flow of day (agenda) and establishing ground-rules, e.g., cell phones off.

 Nice effort to welcome and include late arrivals by showing them to open seats and handing out materials packet.

Workshop Purposes (Ishwari)

 Presentation was clear, brief to the point; it is fine to read from cards as this ensures the message is clear and to the point.

 Good to flip chart main points either in advance or during the Purposes presentation to ensure participants are clear about why they are at the workshop and what they will learn.

 Ishwari has a quiet calm style, which forces participants to pay attention and listen carefully; be conscious of ensuring your voice carries all the way to the back of the room – test this with a teammate before beginning the workshop.

Communication Skills (Shiva and Vinod)

 Both Shiva and Vinod had good enthusiasm and energy, which set a positive, fun tone for learning; made it safe for participants.

 Supportive team teaching/co-facilitation effort; they clearly worked to help each other be successful in front of the room.

 A-B Sell: clear introduction and instructions for exercise; very well run overall.

 There are often questions from participants as to why you are asking them to do something. Be prepared to state the purpose of any exercise OR ask participants to wait to see if learning emerges out of the exercise for them. Afterwards, then re-enforce the purpose and what you, the facilitator, hoped the takeaways should have been.

Purpose of Advocacy and Inquiry Table work (Shiva and Vinod)

 Here the discussion was rich and engaging, though fast in Nepali so I couldn’t follow much of it. For facilitation, both Shiva and Vinod did a nice job of flip charting the purpose of each mode of verbal communication (advocacy and inquiry).

Strategic Guidelines of Inquiry and Advocacy (Shiva)

 Overall, nice presentation of a lot of content; Shiva had no electricity at the time so could not use the LCD projector. In this case, be prepared to capture essential points on flip charts for visual learners.

 When delivering a longer presentation, remember to check-in frequently with participants for understanding; ask “does this make sense?” or “any questions?” or “has anyone experienced this or have another view?”

 If one facilitator is responsible for a longer presentation, other facilitators should watch the clock for the presenter and keep an eye on the participants to ensure they are engaged and following the content. If they don’t appear to be paying attention, the presentation may be too long, or they need a brief stretch break.

Hot Buttons Exercise (Shiva)

 This exercise must be introduced clearly. Any confusion on the part of participants yields very little learning and generates frustrations. Shiva did a nice job of introducing this exercise clearly. Good to confirm at least twice that participants are clear on instructions and at each step of the exercise make sure participants are ready, that is, know their roles and have their ‘hot button’ topic to share.

 Nice emphasis on the importance of being “curious” rather than certain of a complete understanding of a situation.

 Effective debrief of the exercise for the room following each pair’s own debrief between each other. Remember, its in the debrief of the exercises that initial learning, insights and lessons emerge. Be sure to take enough time to elicit takeaways and share with the entire group.

Circle of Value Module (Kabi and Tarak)

 Introduction (Kabi) was very clear and engaging. Very comfortable facilitation style: interactive, fun and conversational.

 Framework overview (Tarak) was also clear and very energetic and authoritative. Participants appreciated the balance between Kabi and Tarak’s styles. It is nice to team-teach in this fashion to keep the presentation style interesting for participants.

o Tarak asked good questions about why we negotiate. Always be thinking of where you can ask questions of participants to engage them in the process. Remember, as facilitators, we are not lecturing, but inviting our participants to take a learning journey with us. They have a lot of knowledge and experience themselves. We are sharing a framework for what each of your participants has already experienced in life when they negotiate.

 It was very helpful for Tarak to use the slide on the screen of “Circle of Value” as he introduced the framework.

 Kabi did a nice job of reinforcing the framework with the “Orange Story.”

 One of the best aspects of the presentation for both Tarak and Kabi was their use of real-life examples that resonated with the participants: e.g., labor management challenges to reinforce the Circle (interests, options and legitimacy).

 Kabi explained how the three elements in the Circle help to achieve win-win outcomes. This is important to be able to articulate the value of the tool to participants who may not yet ‘get it’.

 Effective approach to learning was used: provide short overview; use graphic; have discussion with group; return to slides to reinforce concepts.

 Discussion of Legitimacy (Kabi) was clear using the motorcycle example. Facilitators could imagine other stories to reinforce this element.

 Tarak shared a fun challenge for creative thinking (5 + 5 + 5 = 550), which participants enjoyed. Very nice to pull from your own experience to make the workshop lively and challenging. Be innovative with what you think will really help participants learn.

 Ram offered very effective exercise about disciplining staff. Good use of slide presentation and excellent application of a new case to help participants practice using the framework.

Negotiation Skills Workshop Day 2:

Welcome and Start of Day (Ishwari and Kabi)

 Morning of Day 2 began right on time! Well done!

 Ishwari offered brief overview of agenda and invited feedback/questions from participants. This is a nice way to gently engage them into the learning experience after having had some time off from the workshop over night.

 Kabi facilitated a good discussion about how to deal with an authority figure in negotiation that acts with negligence.

Perceptions Exercise (Basketball Video) (Tulsi)

 Tulsi present the instructions for this exercise with great energy and enthusiasm; participants were clearly excited and eager to try the challenge, however, it is tricky to use technology when you are ‘live’/ ‘online’. Be sure to practice, practice, practice.

 Note that lessons from video sometimes do not emerge on their own. Be prepared to state the reason for showing this ‘silly’ video. Have a clear purpose in mind to share with participants. Negotiation Preparation (Surya)

 Overview – very nice recap of the material with slides and introduction of Alternatives and Agreement. I believe this was appropriate timing within the workshop to add Agreement and BATNA on Day 2. The facilitation team should feel free to introduce these elements earlier, however, Day 1 was full of content and participants seemed to appreciate, understand and assimilate what was shared. I wouldn’t add to Day 1 unless you had a small, very capable group of participants.

 Group was very attentive to new content and it made for rich discussion. Grant Negotiation Role-play (Tulsi)

 Introduction - nice overview of the negotiation planning process;

 Participants had sufficient time to digest the framework, and the preparation module was their last chance to practice it (i.e., a ‘capstone’ exercise).

 It was helpful that the cases were numbered in advance to ease in pairing partners for the one-on-one negotiation.

 Important to have a breakout room for one of the roles to prepare in away from the other role.

 The worksheet for preparation was simple, clear and concise, making it easy for participants to use on their own after the workshop.

 The preparation, role-play guidelines and facilitation of the one-on-one negotiation role play were very well done.

 Effective debrief included one-on-one feedback and plenary discussion and review.

 As a closeout to the preparation and negotiation role play process, I conducted a fishbowl technique lab in front of the room. Any of the facilitation team could do this as it adds tremendously to participants’ learning and confidence with using the framework in real time.

V. Evaluations

The evaluations from the 18 respondents were very positive. The rating scale was 1 – 5, (Scale: 1=poor, 2=fair, 3=good, 4=very good, 5=excellent). The average scores were:

 The overall value of the workshop: 3.9

 The instructors’ facilitation: 3.4

 Usefulness of the content to their jobs: 4.1

All respondents said they would recommend the programme to others. Many commented that the material was very applicable to their private lives as well as their work. Some cited individual facilitators as being especially effective. Finally, there were several suggestions for improvements. These have been incorporated into the Recommendations section that follows.

VI. Recommendations

The following recommendations are intended to assist the facilitation team to develop their facilitation art and to further share the negotiation content to a broader audience.

1. It is recommended they continue the collaboration between MoHP and NASC and bring facilitators from both organizations to future workshop training. Facilitators from both organizations bring a complimentary skill set in facilitation and knowledge in the field. 2. A process of facilitator review will help individuals improve their craft. After each

module, it is helpful to ask what worked well and what you would do differently. The facilitation team should review each day of facilitation in a simple, yet systematic process.

3. A facilitators’ journal is a good way to capture learning, reflections and keep track of new ideas as team members gain experience with the negotiation content and with various audiences. This is also a good way to build a supply of stories and examples. 4. A single source for record keeping will assist the entire team keep track of who has

attended their Negotiation Skills workshops. Even if the entire team is not present for a workshop, it is helpful to know who (and from what organization) has attended in order to reduce the chance for repeat participation and to understand the makeup of the various groups.

5. The Negotiation Skills workshop should be offered beyond the Kathmandu Valley, as appropriate, in order to spread the tools.

6. To help participants apply their new skills to the workplace, it is helpful to capture their own examples at the beginning of the workshop and write them on flipcharts to be placed on the walls. Then, during the discussions on various elements, the facilitators can refer to those examples.

7. Role playing should be incorporated as much as possible. Participants learn the most when they are actually “going to words” and practicing new skills.

8. It is important for the facilitators to always prepare (even after doing several workshops) and to rehearse those sections of the workshop that use technology or require special instructions - for example, the Basketball video and the Hot Buttons exercise.

9. Stories and examples from the facilitators’ own experiences are very effective tools. They can be captured by reflecting on one’s own “life story” and seeing it through a negotiations perspective.

VII. Appendices

Appendix 1. Negotiation Skills Workshop Agenda Saturday, April 30, 2011: Day 1

8:30 Welcome to Facilitators: CMPartners

Negotiation Skills Facilitation and Content Review (30 mins)

 Module Preparation (1 hour)

10:00 – 1:00 Facilitators Begin Negotiation Skills Workshop

 Participants are asked to arrive between 9:30am and 9:45am for registration Welcome: Introduction and Purposes (30 minutes)

10:30 Communication Skills Module (2 hours) 12:30 – 2:30 LUNCH for Participants

12:30 – 2:30 Facilitator Review and Preparation (1.5 hour of work within this time period allowing for 30 mins lunch)

2:30 Circle of Value Module (2 hours)

4:20 Facilitators End Day with Participants and Provide Overview

for Day 2

4:30 Facilitator Review with CMPartners and Preparation for Day 2 (30 mins) 5:00 Close Day 1

Sunday, May 1, 2011:Day 2

9:00 Facilitators meet with CMPartners for Q&A and Final Prep 10:00 Negotiation Skills Workshop Day 2 Begins for Participants

 Q&A from Day 1

10:30 Preparation Module: The Grant Negotiation (2 hours)

 Overview (10 mins)

 Preparation by side (25 mins)

 Provide Negotiation Ground Rules (5 mins)

 Pairs Negotiate (25 mins)

 Review (20 mins)

1:00- 2:00 LUNCH

2:00 Negotiation Skills Workshop Going Forward

 Discussion of Next Steps for Participants

 Evaluation Forms

2:30 End of Workshop For Participants

Appendix 2. Participants List

Nepal Administrative Staff College

Centre for Organisation Development

for

Officials of Heath and Papulation (30 April – 1 May, 2011)

S.No. Name

1

Dr. Prakash Ghimire

2

Mr. Damodar Adhikari

3

Dr. Yahun Chandra Sibakoti

4

Dr. Resham Bahadur Rana

5

Dr. Shambhu Upadhyay

6

Mr. Tirtha Ratna Shakya

7

Mr. Binod Kumar Khadka

8

Mr. Lekh Nath Ghimire

9

Dr. Mukunda Raj Panthee

10

Mr. Dil Bahadur Bhandari

11

Mr. Prakash Ghimire

12

Mr. Nokh Bahadur Bashyal

13

Ms. Bandana K.C.

14

Mr. Chandrakala Oli

15

Ms. Roshani Shrestha

16

Mr. Dhana Prasad Paudel

17

Mr. Hot Raj Lamsal

18

Mr. Tulsi Prasad Dahal

19

Ms. Hemkala Lama

Appendix 3.

Negotiating Health Development – Leadership Training Negotiation Skills Workshop April 30 and May 2, 2011

Facilitator Feedback

1. What worked well in your own preparation for facilitating this workshop?

‐ Use of lesson plans prepared in advance

‐ During preparation concentrate on key issues and relevant examples; write them down

‐ Lesson learned during the process facilitation workshop were most helpful

‐ Training manual helped remind me of the content in each module

‐ Being assigned my module in advance enabled better preparation

2. What could have been improved in your own preparation?

‐ Set aside more practice time

‐ Think in advance of more real-life examples

‐ More time practicing facilitating the content

3. What aspect or module of this workshop was the most difficult to prepare for or deliver?

‐ Summarizing the results (outcomes) of the exercise I presented

‐ Circle of Value is most difficult module despite knowing the theoretical aspects it needs more practical application (requires more practical use to understand and then teach)

4. How helpful was the Facilitators Manual for your preparation? (Scale: 1=poor, 2=fair, 3=good, 4=very good, 5=excellent)

‐ 100% of respondents answered 5 for Excellent

5. How helpful was the Process Facilitation Workshop in preparing you for this workshop?

Appendix 4. About the Partners

About the Ministry of Health and Population

Ministry of Health and Population plays a leading role in improving the health of the people including mental, physical and social well being, for overall national development with the increased participation of the private sector and non-government institutions in the implementation of programmes. The Ministry is also responsible to make necessary arrangements and formulate policies for effective delivery of curative services, disease prevention, health promotive activities and establishment of a primary health care system. These activities will be maintained at an international standard under the policies declared on health by Government of Nepal, ultimately improving the overall condition of health services.

About Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health (MLI)

The Ministerial Leadership Initiative for Global Health (MLI) works with ministries of health in Ethiopia, Mali, Nepal, Senegal, and Sierra Leone to advance country-led development in three inter-related policy areas: health financing to ensure sustainable health care for all; donor alignment to ensure that donors work together to support country priorities; and reproductive health because the health of women is central to the health and stability of communities and nations. MLI, a program of Aspen Global Health and Development at the Aspen Institute, works in partnership with the Results for Development Institute. MLI, a four-year program initiated in 2008, is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

About CMPartners

CMPartners, LLC advances organizational and individual capacity to negotiate and manage conflict and critical relationships. They work with clients, acting as an advisor and building capacity in negotiations, conflict management, communication, and leadership skills and the management of strategic external and internal relationships. CMPartners professionals bring to their clients pragmatic methods, tools and skill sets developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project, affiliated organizations, and in our many decades of combined experience in training, consulting, advisory and executive coaching practice.

About Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC)

The Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC) was established in September 1982 under the Nepal Administrative Staff College Act, 1982. The specific objectives of the College are to identify measures of enhancing the managerial capability; to develop and provide necessary training for the employees of the Government of Nepal and public enterprises; and undertake problem-oriented research, consulting and information services. The College has excellent physical facilities and a pool of highly professional staff experienced in the training, research and consulting.