Abstract/Summary

It would not be surprising if you are wondering why you need to think about leadership and negotiation skills now, before you have reached the professional world. If you do not plan to be a professional leader or negotiator, you might reasonably wonder why you need to think about these skills at all. The answer is simple: because of what they can do for you right now. These are skills you can use as a student to take control of your learning and get what you need out of opportunities – both in and out of the classroom. Student life also gives you plenty of chance to practise your leadership and negotiation skills, so you will become not only a more effective student but also a more attractive candidate when you hit the career market. Let’s take a moment to look at two types of students, so that we can break down what a leader and skilled negotiator might look like (or not): 1. A leader? Students who are the life and soul of every party and who can talk loudly and laugh even louder; those who most students like to be near, who are happy to have their say in any situation. 2. Funnily enough, these students often struggle to lead. You might see them literally leading their admirers across campus towards the nearest nightclub, but the qualities needed for effective leadership can be lacking. Loving to talk makes it very difficult to chair a meeting, for example. Voicing strong views can leave members of your team feeling isolated. Being hugely popular can leave you vulnerable, shying away from difficult or sensitive conversations. Being used to getting your own way or being afraid of being even a little bit unpopular can make negotiation very difficult. 3. A leader? Students who talk less than they think, who are willing to listen to others, and sometimes – but not always – voice their own views. Students who lead less from the front but spend their energy helping everyone work together. Students who are not easily distracted and are goal centred. 4. These students can become excellent leaders, leading by example and negotiation and making sure that a team works well together. They may not be especially well noticed, but they are somehow known to be reliable and determined, even though they have not been a leader in social groups. There are many different types of leader, and the examples here are built on generalisations, but hopefully you get the point: leadership is a skill that can be developed like any other, and negotiation can become a positive part of your life. Developing leadership skills relies on: 1. Identifying the leadership skills and qualities that you already have, or those that come most naturally to you 2. Developing your skills as an influential team player so that you can pivot to leadership when the need arises 3. Finding opportunities to practise leadership in the relatively low-risk situation of studying Developing negotiation skills relies on: 1. A clear sense of what you want 2. A willingness to value the views of others 3. An understanding of how compromise works so that everyone wins Now that the myths are dispelled, we can move on to developing your skills as both an effective leader and a successful negotiator.