The skill to effectively influence
others is one that everyone needs. People spend a
lot of time and effort trying to persuade each other
to do what they want, whether in personal
or professional situations. But negotiation, influencing
and persuading are skills that can only be developed
given the circumstances and opportunities to do so.
Effective negotiation requires a high level of communication,
the ability to build rapport and persuade rationally,
and the confidence to deal with ‘difficult’ situations
that could be a block to success.
Negotiating and influencing also
encompasses the ability to listen and compromise.
It includes the ability to be turned down, knocked
back, but to still participate. An effective way
of offering an opportunity to develop these skills
in primary schools is by providing a structure for
influencing to take place, and structure which provides
an opportunity for children to plan future negotiations
and develop the skills they will need in later life.
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case studies]
Broom Valley Junior’s school
council was formed three years ago to encourage a
greater level of participation in and responsibility
for school life. Each class votes for two representatives
to go forward to represent their views on the council,
which meets weekly to highlight and discuss issues
that are important to the children.
The council has carried out market
research in school to discover how children wanted
funding to develop the outside play area to be spent.
Ideas from the children including a netted football
area, an outdoor dance stage and ‘loan cards’;
to encourage responsible use of equipment were all
adopted.
Most recently the school council
were even involved in the selection process for a
new member of staff. Two representatives were voted
onto the interview panel to participate in the process
- and even asked a couple of questions. The philosophy
is that the more responsibility the pupils have the
greater responsibility they will display.
Learning Mentor and council member
Wendy Rusling said: “The way the students conducted
themselves and the insightful comments they made
showed it was the right decision to include them
in the process.”
The successful candidate also happened
to be the first choice of the children too. Apart
from having the right skills and experience, Wendy
said the candidate had made eye contact with the
pupils and treated the children in the same way as
other members of the interview panel. When the children
found out ‘their’ teacher was being appointed
there was a far greater sense this was someone they
welcomed than another ‘stranger’ being
thrust upon them.
Wendy said the benefit of the school
council was to show children the processes of effective
negotiation they will need in later life. She said: “They
don’t always get their own way. But they are
learning to deal with conflict in a positive way
and they seem to take it better when a class member
tells them ‘This is how it is.’ It doesn’t
stop them trying to change things though; it just
gives them a proper framework where they can do it
in a constructive way.”
