“The goal of negotiating is to build and sustain relationships,” Darryl Salerno, President and founder of Second Quadrant Solutions, told North Central NAMA members attending the October 19 negotiating workshop held on the University of Minnesota-St. Paul campus. Second Quadrant Solutions, a New York-based consultant group, provides executive coaching and professional development training for service organizations.

Based on the premise that all aspects of human interaction are essentially negotiations, Salerno’s workshop took participants through information and several exercises aimed at achieving the best possible results while maintaining a positive relationship with the other party.  Attendees learned about working with the three critical elements of negotiating: time, power and information.

The session culminated in a spirited one-on-one practice negotiation that demonstrated the typical tendency to negotiate for a “win” for oneself.  Following the conclusion of the afternoon session, members enjoyed networking time.

Special thanks to Greg Smith, Padilla, Speer Beardsley for speaker arrangements, and Dr. Ward Nefstead, University of Minnesota NAMA Student Chapter advisor, for organizing the campus classroom location.