Negotiation is an everyday part of our ordinary lives, from deciding on where to eat out to which movie to see. Negotiation is, however, the bread-and-butter of diplomats; it is what they do. Their careers and ― far more crucially, the national interests of their countries ― depend on their skills as negotiators.

About two dozen foreign envoys from nearly as many nations got together on Thursday to hone their negotiating skills at the Institute of Global Management, a Seoul-based consulting firm, in the first of two day-long sessions on negotiation theory and practice.

They will meet again on Nov. 8.

“This is an excellent opportunity to learn about negotiation from Korean experts,” Costa Rican Ambassador to Korea Manuel Lopez Trigo said. “Koreans are great at negotiating. After all, the country has an overall trade surplus of bout $3.8 billion, and that means something.”

Costa Rico is looking forward to officially beginning talks with Korea in a proposed FTA with the five Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, El Salvador and Costa Rica that work in concert on international issues, Trigo said.

IGM has been teaching corporate executives negotiation skills since 2003 and, since 2010, the government has required its diplomats to complete IGM’s program before overseas postings.

“Understanding the interests underlying your opposing party’s stated position is the key to win-win negotiation,” said IGM session instructor Junn Haan-suk said. “In politics, you are not only representing yourself but also your people, country or perhaps even your political party. So, it is not as easy to discover those underlying interests.”

“You must also discover the situation and context of the opposing party, the obstacle’s they might face back home,” Junn said.

Not everyone participating in the class was there just improve on their negotiating abilities. One diplomat came to get to know his colleagues in the foreign diplomatic community, which ― considering the busy schedules of foreign envoys ― is not an easy task.

Adel Bouda, 1st secretary at the Algerian Embassy, participated to meet some of his colleagues within the foreign diplomatic community. Bouda arrived just months ago.

Senior IGM professors will deliver lectures and host other related events. All the activities will be conducted in English. These are the first negotiation seminars designed exclusively for foreign ambassadors.

“I apply my negotiating ability, to the extent I have any, at home probably more often than on the job, because I have to apply cross-cultural communication in negotiating with my wife,” said Honduran Ambassador to Korea Michel Idiaquez Baradat, during an ice-breaking portion of the class. “My wife is Korean.”

The mood among the envoys participating in the negotiation course was light and congenial, but underlying it all was a serious understanding of the importance of the ability to engage with others and find agreement.

That’s what diplomacy is all about, one envoy said during the course and, indeed, all joking aside, cross-cultural communication is instrumental in doing their job.

“We have contributed a lot to improving Korea’s negotiation skills by educating many business leaders and government officials. Now we want to make a contribution to the world,” said IGM CEO Junn Sung-chul in welcoming remarks “We hopefully will host negotiation classes for foreign diplomats from now on a regular basis.”

The success of the program confirms the viability of his institute’s approach toward negotiation.

The program includes IGM’s so-called “10 Commandments of Negotiation,” which is also a book the institute published, as well as negotiation role playing. On Nov. 8, participants will learn “Negotiations Sills & Tactics,” the mechanics of negotiation preparation, and engage in more role playing practice.

By  Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)