Building Confidence Through Negotiation
By Susie ZimmermanN, Negotiation Works Volunteer
NW Ambassador and past class participant, Katarina
Katarina, or Kat as she is known by many, participated in a Negotiation Works workshop at long-time partner Together We Bake, based in Alexandria, which provides professional training in the food service industry to low-income women.
Kat had recently moved to the U.S. from Serbia and gained her food safety certificate with the organization to help develop skills to find work. When she saw that Together We Bake also offered the Negotiation Works course as part of its training, she was intrigued.
The skills that were taught were straightforward and useful, she recalls. “Negotiation tactics are an essential life skill so you can most effectively advocate for yourself,” says Kat.
She put the skills to use immediately and credits the course for her successful journey to win child custody of her son after she separated from his father. “The negotiation tactics I learned in the workshop helped me get a lawyer, receive housing assistance and financial aid for healthcare, make friends, and look for a job.”
As someone who felt she was already a good communicator, Kat was surprised and pleased to discover how the class refined her skills. She was also reminded of the importance of negotiation abilities. “When you don’t get what you want initially, it’s important to have a good alternative to find a compromise and to offer the other party something,” she says. Furthermore, Kat notes the importance of assertive communication over passive or aggressive communication to “be able to state what you need and hold boundaries without allowing anyone to walk over you and without being too pushy or walking over anybody yourself.”
“We may not be aware of it, but we negotiate every single day, whenever you need something, want something, or someone wants something from us.”
Kat encourages others to take the course and has continued to stay involved as a Negotiation Works Ambassador. She wants everyone to be able to advocate for themselves while avoiding conflict—or having healthier conflict—in daily interactions as well as heightened situations. “We may not be aware of it, but we negotiate every single day, whenever you need something, want something, or someone wants something from us,” she says.
Kat also believes these skills are critically important to anyone who has experienced violence, past trauma, and aggression. “There are always alternatives to violence, and negotiation skills can literally save lives,” she says.
Today, thanks to the Negotiation Works course, Kat feels more comfortable every day, entering any situation with greater confidence. “The course is well worth your time,” she says. “Even if you think you don’t need it, you’ll learn something new to implement into your daily life.”