---
title: "COMM 190 · Negotiate with confidence"
publisher: Maestro College (Maestro Open)
lessons: 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence
full: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/llms-full.txt
---

# Negotiate with confidence (COMM 190)

Learn interests, BATNA, anchoring and fair offers, then practice negotiating pay, prices, rent and workload in role-plays where your tutor plays the other side.

You negotiate more often than you think: pay, prices, deadlines, rent, who does what at work. Most people either avoid it or treat it like a fight. This course teaches a calmer approach: understand what both sides really need, know your walk-away point, prepare well, make and answer offers with confidence, handle pressure tactics, and get the agreement confirmed. You'll practice in role-plays where your tutor plays the other side.

## Course objectives
- Interests, positions and creating value for both sides
- Your BATNA, walk-away point and the zone of possible agreement
- Preparing for a negotiation and making and answering offers
- Negotiating pay, and everyday deals with vendors, landlords and colleagues
- Handling tough tactics ethically and confirming the agreement

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## Lessons
### Unit 1: How negotiation works
- [Negotiation is everywhere](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/negotiation-is-everywhere.md)
- [Interests versus positions](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/interests-versus-positions.md)
- [BATNA, walk-away point and the zone of agreement](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/batna-walk-away-point-and-the-zone-of-agreement.md)
- [Challenge: find the deal](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/challenge-find-the-deal.md)

### Unit 2: Prepare and make offers
- [Preparing for any negotiation](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/preparing-for-any-negotiation.md)
- [Anchoring and making the first offer](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/anchoring-and-making-the-first-offer.md)
- [Responding to offers and making concessions](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/responding-to-offers-and-making-concessions.md)
- [Challenge: prepare and negotiate](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/challenge-prepare-and-negotiate.md)

### Unit 3: Everyday negotiations
- [Negotiating a job offer and salary](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/negotiating-a-job-offer-and-salary.md)
- [Asking for a raise](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/asking-for-a-raise.md)
- [Vendors, landlords and colleagues](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/vendors-landlords-and-colleagues.md)
- [Challenge: a week of negotiations](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/challenge-a-week-of-negotiations.md)

### Unit 4: Tough moments and closing the deal
- [Handling tough tactics ethically](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/handling-tough-tactics-ethically.md)
- [Emotions, deadlocks and walking away](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/emotions-deadlocks-and-walking-away.md)
- [Reaching and confirming agreement](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/reaching-and-confirming-agreement.md)
- [Challenge: the full negotiation](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/negotiate-with-confidence/challenge-the-full-negotiation.md)

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.
Start with lesson 1 unless the learner asks for a specific lesson. Keep track of which lesson you are on.

## When a lesson is done
Teach one lesson at a time. A lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed for it; check each with a small task or question.
When it is complete:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson N complete: <lesson title>." (use the lesson's number and title).
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, say "Lesson N+1 of 16: <title>", and ask if they're ready to start it. Start it only when they say yes.
After the last lesson, congratulate them on finishing the course.