ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR EMPLOYEE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: TEACHING NEGOTIATION ONLINE

Terrie L. Smith
Jean-Luc Grosso
Sherry Grosso
University of South Carolina
ABSTRACT
The abilities to successfully lead in a team environment and effectively collaborate with others are critical to employee professional development and career success. More than ever, employees need to learn how to work together to share ideas, develop strategies, and solve problems by valuing the input of others. These are the kinds of skills that employers are looking for when considering employees for promotion and future leadership opportunities. One of the most important skills desired by employers in today’s business environment is the ability to successfully negotiate with internal and external constituents of the organization. Now more than ever, negotiating skills are critical to success in the workplace. Organizational resources are limited and competition for them is intense. Knowing how to negotiate will give employees a competitive advantage as they begin their professional careers or as they seek new opportunities for advancement in their current institutions. Developing an effective online negotiation training program using available technology to teach employees how to negotiate is a cost-effective way to give employees this critical skill and control training costs.