Hello dear reader,
I am İdil Akan, one of the 24 students who participated in the Negotiation Skills Program that has been held this year in partnership with Sopu Academy and Akbank Youth Academy. I first came across this program in one of the training emails from Akbank Youth Academy, and it immediately caught my attention. My biggest motivation for applying was the desire to learn how to develop equitable approaches to today’s complex problems.
When I looked into Sopu Academy, one of the program’s partners, I discovered that they are based in Finland, widely admired for its professional approach in many fields. In addition to being a reputable institution in education, their Finnish approach and adherence to European standards allowed us to implement rational, practical, and effective systems throughout the program.
Application Process
The case study required during the application process gave me valuable insight into what the program would involve. As I worked through the case, I didn’t just focus on possible scenarios but also considered approaches where the solution was more important than the result. This comprehensive exercise expanded my perspective and increased my excitement and expectations for the program.
You can find more detailed information about the pre-training challenge in the following section. This challenge pushed me outside my comfort zone. I learned how to take action despite potential rejection, explored ways to make one-sided gains acceptable. Most importantly consciously approached one of the everyday negotiations we often overlook. The program not only turned us into good negotiators but also gave us tools to share this knowledge with others.
Pre-Training Challenge
As an ambitious start to the program, we faced a challenge that provided an excellent preparation environment. The task was to “Try bargaining in a place where bargaining is not normally expected.” Some of us discovered employee discounts, others leveraged our student status, and though some couldn’t change the price, the key was making the first contact and stepping out of our comfort zones to initiate the negotiation. This exercise was a great way to warm up to the topic and prepare for the training with our first conscious negotiation in daily life.
Program Process
Our training spanned three days, from Sunday to Tuesday. Time flew by as each moment was enriching, keeping us focused and engaged. We experienced a seamless blend of theoretical and practical learning.
Benefits of Simulation Based Learning
The simulation scenarios were particularly beneficial, reinforcing our negotiation skills through role-playing. Thanks to Sopu Academy’s technique, we gained a broader perspective on compromise by improving our ability to empathize. We could objectively evaluate both the negotiation itself and our individual performances. The feedback process, which occurred right after each simulation, allowed for immediate self-reflection and quick situation analysis.
Result Reports
Receiving timely and constructive feedback after each simulation made us smile. The reports succinctly summarized our performance, highlighting key points. As simulation participants, we could add our own notes, gaining deeper insights into our negotiation styles. The feedback reports also provided a resource for continuous self-evaluation, accessible anytime, even after the training ended.
I hope this article answers your questions and inspires you to explore the world of negotiation and compromise. Don’t forget to follow our blog and social media channels for tips on negotiation skills, compromise techniques, and more!
About the writer
This blog post was written by İdil Akan, a participant of the Consensus and Negotiation Skills Program in 2024. İdil, a Communication and Design student at Özyeğin University, is interested in art history and educational experiences. He currently works as an intern at Sopu Academy. Global Shapers supports Istanbul Hub and the EcoArt project.
