Kennedys Negotiation

UK's first-ever negotiation course

1977
"The 8-Step Approach has directly impacted the way we work in our companies" Board Member, Scottish & Newcastle, Nabisco, and Reed Packaging
1977
1980
"The advice which it offers can be applied to all forms of negotiations" J. E. Mortimer, General Secretary of the Labour Party
1980
1985
"We need these types of courses! We don't have these skills and most of us don't even know we need them." General Manager
1985
1988
"The information that was presented in the workshop is extremely relevant to my job performance, but also the company as a whole."
1988
1993
"Up until now we've been ad hoc in our approach to deal negotiation. Now we'll be a more professional team." Vice President, Business Development
1993
2000
this is the best money [our company] has ever spent
2000
2008
"The Central Trust Group gives Kennedy Method straight A’s across the board" Andrew Turner – Managing Director ,
2008
2013
"I searched far and wide the most prominent material on negotiation available today and am convinced that the Kennedy methodology is superior in its clarity and practical applicability" Bertie Du Plessis – CLO, Naspers
2013
2019
"As important as it is to secure the right terms for a shared enterprise, it is just as critical to form a sustainable relationship" Jason Roswig, Managing Director, Blackstone Group
2019
2021
"Disciplined trade-offs delivered $12M in value and preserved core capabilities" Mohamed Gamal CFO, AstraZeneca Near East
2021

Kennedys Advancing Negotiation Skills (KANS) Programme distills over five decades of behavioral insight into one powerful, field-tested experience.

8 Steps of Negotiation

Legacy to Future

It began in 1972—not as a lecture, but as a live negotiation lab at Brunel University. Far from a conventional seminar, it was a pressure-tested environment where role-playing met real-world complexity. The method was sharpened further with senior teams at Shell and Scottish & Newcastle Breweries, marking the origin of the 8-Step, 4-Phase model—a structured, behavioral approach that transformed how negotiation is taught and practiced..
HW

Evidence-based

Based on 50-plus years of observation, research and practical application —the Kennedy 8-Step / Four-Phase system codifies the real behaviors of high-performing negotiators: how they think, adapt, and escalate when the stakes are real. Refined in partnership with Edinburgh Business School, it is now embedded in top FT-ranked business schools worldwide—including IESE, Yale, ESADE, and others—across MBA, DBA, and executive education programmes
govement

Billions of pounds

The Kennedy 8-Step / Four-Phase approach governs negotiation like capital allocation—disciplined, conditional, and behavior-driven—and it has shaped billions in negotiation outcomes and continues to anchor the negotiation capability of many of the original FTSE 100 companies.

Flagship negotiation training

Negotiation

Kennedys Advancing Negotiation Skills (KANS)

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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Strategy, Negotiation & Governance

Mastering Strategic Negotiations
(MSN)

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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Negotiation

Strategic Negotiating

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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No matter whom you negotiate with, what’s at stake, or which cultures your counterparts come from whether interests align or conflict your edge lies in situational awareness, readiness, and negotiation acumen. It comes from understanding how people negotiate across the world, recognizing the common phases that underpin all negotiations, and applying strategic behaviors proven to work most effectively when used in the right phase.

Who Is This For?

It’s for those accountable for what happens when it counts. when terms are on the table, stakeholders are watching, and the outcome defines value, trust, or risk.

What Does KANS Teach?

  • There is a behavioural process underpinning every negotiation. We call it the 8 Step/Four Phase Approach®
  • Recognise the structure behind all negotiations and manage them as a phased process
  • Our negotek® preparation method defines clear tradables, negotiable ranges, and priority-led outcomes, so you never enter a deal without leverage
  • Develop strategic control by managing movement, holding discipline, and trading only on condition
  • Kennedy’s 8 Step/Four Phase helps you identify which phase you are in and everyone one in the room and apply behaviours appropriate for the effective and successful execution of that phase

The result: faster, more profitable, and more resilient relationships, deals, and outcomes with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders. 

50 years of experience

Grounded in behavioural science. Proven in real-world outcomes.

Kennedys Advancing Negotiation Skills (KANS) Programme distills over five decades of behavioural research into one integrated, field-tested system.
It has delivered billions in negotiated value across sectors, industries, and deal types, shaping negotiators to secure the best deal, every time.

Extensive portfolio

Direct, strategic, and scalable

Build a deep, practical, and commercially proven negotiation methodology to plan and execute complex deals, influence key stakeholders, and deliver measurable outcomes across pricing, M&A, strategic change, dealmaking, and organisational alignment.

Practice to Performance

Great Negotiators Aren’t Born.

They’re Built. This programme drives a continuous improvement journey—recalibrating behaviours through simulation, feedback, and reinforcement.
Until composure under pressure, phase control, and conditional trade become instinct.

Key Elements of the Kennedys Advancing Negotiation Skills Programme

The programme is built around three core disciplines: Situational awareness, disciplined movement management, and execution under pressure.

Together, these sharpen how negotiators read the room, govern the deal, and deliver outcomes when the stakes are high

Recognise which phase they’re in—and which one you’re in. Negotiation is never linear

Manage the right movement for each phase

Adapt skillfully—balancing flexibility, conditionality, and control

Negotiation Masterclass

Build negotiation acumen to prepare, position, and execute your strategic imperatives

Executive Track

Negotiating with Regulators

Negotiating with Regulators

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Executive Track

Board & Investor Negotiation

Negotiating with Boards & Executive Stakeholders

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Executive Track

Re-Negotiation Strategy

Mid-cycle resets, long-term contract realignment

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Commercial Track

JVs & M&A Alliance Success

Ensuring that the negotiation of joint ventures, and strategic alliances deliver optimal outcomes and profitable financial results.

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Commercial Track

Private Equity Negotiations Dynamics

coming soon

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Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Negotiation Governance for Boards

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

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Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Negotiating Internally

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

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Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Stakeholder Management for Executives

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

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Public sector negotiation

Constructive Feedback, Debate and Negotiation

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Public sector negotiation

The 4 Phases Framework for Negotiation and Leadership

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Commercial Track

Sales-Focused Negotiation Performance

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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Commercial Track

Negotiating with Government Procurement

Negotiating with Regulators

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Commercial Track

Sales-Focused Negotiation Performance

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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Commercial Track

Channel

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

UAE - Real Estate and Negotiation Strategies

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

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Commercial Track

Supplier Relationship Profitability

Building profitability by managing costs while improving the quality of supplier relationships.

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Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Stakeholder Management for Executives

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

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Executive Track

Re-Negotiation Strategy

Mid-cycle resets, long-term contract realignment

More
Executive Track

Negotiating with Regulators

Negotiating with Regulators

More
Executive Track

Re-Negotiation Strategy

Mid-cycle resets, long-term contract realignment

More
Commercial Track

Negotiating with Government Procurement

Negotiating with Regulators

More
Commercial Track

JVs & M&A Alliance Success

Ensuring that the negotiation of joint ventures, and strategic alliances deliver optimal outcomes and profitable financial results.

More
Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Stakeholder Management for Executives

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

More
Commercial Track

JVs & M&A Alliance Success

Ensuring that the negotiation of joint ventures, and strategic alliances deliver optimal outcomes and profitable financial results.

More
Executive Track

Re-Negotiation Strategy

Mid-cycle resets, long-term contract realignment

More
Internal Alignment & Operational Negotiation

Stakeholder Management for Executives

(Cross-functional / Operational Alignment)

More
Executive Track

Negotiating with Regulators

Negotiating with Regulators

More
Executive Track

HEaling Customer

Negotiating with Regulators

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Public sector negotiation

Negotiation in Policy Development

Policy Development & Stakeholder Alignment Negotiation Strategic Negotiation in Policy Design

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Exclusively for women

Negotiating Women Workshop

Protecting margin by managing price pressure while building stronger, value-led customer agreements.

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You lose more value in negotiation behavior than in bad pricing models

In complex B2B sales, negotiation doesn’t happen at the end—it’s threaded through every phase of the deal. From first scope conversations to final signature, what your team says—and doesn’t say—shapes margin, momentum, and trust.

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Qualification

Deal Moment
Qualification
Behavioral Failure
Seller commits too early, misreads phase
Business Impact
Forecast quality erodes

Govern the Buying Cycle and the Value Equation

You lose more value in negotiation behavior than in bad pricing models In complex B2B sales, negotiation doesn’t happen at the end—it’s threaded through every phase of the deal. From first scope conversations to final signature, what your team says—and doesn’t say—shapes margin, momentum, and trust.  

Verified Benefits

A behavioral breakthrough for those who shape terms, protect value, and govern outcomes—executives, dealmakers, sellers, and internal leaders operating at the highest stakes

Scaled Partner Enablement

Aligns product, partner, and platform teams—reducing GTM delays by 20–30% and increasing partner trust and renewal by 10–20%.

Deal Strategy & Profitable Sales

Equips executives, dealmakers, and sellers to lead the full negotiation arc—from pre-deal positioning to closing—raising strategic win rates by 10–12%, improving fallback posture in 50–60% of high-stakes negotiations, and driving top-line and sales profitability through behavioral precision

Internal Alignment & Operational Clarity

Turns cross-functional ambiguity into structured alignment—cutting decision time by 30–40% and reducing unplanned escalations by up to 50%.

Enhanced Boardroom & Stakeholder Trust

Strengthens trust between leadership, boards, regulators, and investors—raising alignment scores by 15–25% while reducing escalation and reputational exposure.

Accelerated Decision Velocity

Equips leaders to act decisively—reducing functional decision cycle time by 25–30%, streamlining escalations, and aligning legal, commercial, and risk stakeholders.

HERE WE GO

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Before KANS

Before a single session begins, we calibrate the experience using the NegoTek ® Assessment—our proprietary diagnostic tool designed to uncover negotiation readiness at both the individual and team level.

Why? Because the data is clear:

  • 45% of negotiators default to reactive behaviours under pressure
  • 3 in 4 teams show internal misalignment across negotiation phases
  • 20–30% margin leakage is directly linked to poor fallback discipline

Each participant receives a personalized profile assessing four critical domains that directly affect both deal outcomes and enterprise value:

1. Behavioural style under pressure
How you behave when the stakes shift—whether you hold posture or retreat to comfort.

2. Fallback discipline and escalation control
Do you hold the line or give it away? We assess how you govern concessions, terms, and when (or if) you escalate.

3. Negotiation phase fluency
How precisely you track and apply behaviours in each of the Kennedy 8-Step / Four-Phase Model—Preparation, Debate, Proposal, Bargain.

4. Strategic alignment with team posture
Where gaps exist between individual intent and team execution—and what that costs in trust, clarity, and margin.

This is not a personality test. It’s a behavioural calibration so we know where to intervene, and you know where to sharpen

Content

There is a behavioural process underpinning every negotiation. We call it the 8 Step/Four Phase Approach ®

It is not a theory. It emerged from four decades of real-world application, tested across industries, cultures, and negotiation tables.

It does not matter where you are or who you face—friend or rival, novice or veteran—the sequence of behaviour remains constant. What changes is how you behave within it.

Knowing the process does not make you clever. Applying it when under pressure does. It gives you clarity about which phase you’re in, what behaviour fits, and when to switch. It stops you from improvising deals in the hope they’ll work, and instead helps you structure behaviour that does.

Control in negotiation doesn’t mean dominating the other party. It means not giving your power away by acting out of habit, fear, or misplaced goodwill. It means ma

naging your own behaviour—step by step—so that you negotiate, rather than concede.

Find Out More

Learning Journey

Skills Based Workshop

Negotiation is not theory. It is a live, adaptive process that only improves with practice. That’s why our approach places participants in the thick of it—negotiating, testing, adjusting, and learning by doing.

More than 70% of course time is dedicated to structured, practical work. Not role-play for its own sake, but focused exercises that mirror real negotiation challenges what we call Case Plays.

Each exercise is led by an expert coach who doesn’t just observe, they intervene, correct, and prompt new behaviour on the spot. Participants are expected to try, reflect, and try again. This is not training to feel better. It’s training to perform better.

Personal Development Plan

The workshop ends with 360˚ and one-to-one feedback, followed by a structured development report grounded in live behavioural data.

Each participant then works with their coach to translate this into a Personal Development Plan—not a wish list, but a clear set of priorities based on how they actually performed under pressure.

The aim is simple: correct what weakens outcomes, reinforce what drives results.

Alumni Coaching

Each participant receives up to 120 minutes of expert coaching per year—typically delivered as two focused sessions. This is not generic advice. It’s direct access to the same coach who led their training and observed their behaviour live.

Whether preparing for a complex deal, pressure-testing strategy, or reviewing post-negotiation outcomes, this support ensures the skill is not just learned—but applied.

It’s included in the fee. No add-ons. No gatekeeping. Just real-time input when it matters most.

Long-term benefits

The learning doesn’t end when the workshop does. Negotiation is a skill that sharpens with pressure, repetition, and coaching—not just theory. 

  • Each participant leaves with a personal performance report and development plan—grounded in live observation.
  • One month later, they receive a targeted call to reinforce key behaviours and correct early drift.
  • At the three month mark, we run a focused one-day follow-up—built to pressure-test application, embed high-performance behaviours, and translate learning into measurable business outcomes.
Immersion Day

After three months, participants return for a Negotiation Immersion Day—a high-intensity session built to simulate real pressure, reinforce behavioural control, and embed Kennedy-phase fluency.

The day is hands-on. Every activity is designed to expose gaps in discipline, test escalation posture, and push negotiators to apply what they’ve learned—under stress, not theory.

Think of it as a strategic stress test: part rehearsal, part refinement—delivered to hardwire negotiation skill into performance.

Training is only complete when it shows up in results.

We’re not just helping companies negotiate better deals—we’re giving leaders the tools to align faster, escalate smarter, and govern outcomes when it matters most. This is behavior-as-strategy.

Florence Kennedy Rolland

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