Negotiation, Persuasion
and Strategic Communication
4 Week Intensive Course on Communication Systems, Behavioral Psychology & Leadership Strategy
The Human Architecture of Influence
A comprehensive and practical exploration of how people think, decide, and respond — and how you can ethically navigate those dynamics in leadership, business, and personal contexts. This course bridges behavioral psychology, negotiation theory, and communication strategy to help you build influence grounded in trust, precision, and empathy.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will:
-
Master frameworks of principled negotiation (Harvard PON, Fisher & Ury) to achieve win-win outcomes.
-
Apply psychological triggers and calibration (Cialdini’s influence, Voss’s tactical empathy, Kahneman’s thinking systems) to communication.
-
Understand game dynamics — power, timing, reciprocity, and framing — in high-stakes conversations.
-
Craft persuasive narratives using linguistic design and emotional resonance.
-
Build negotiation readiness through live scenarios, reflective journals, and structured communication drills.
Industry Landscape
Despite the abundance of business and communication courses, very few teach influence as a psychologically grounded, strategic skill. Most programs focus on surface-level tactics — speaking confidently, closing deals, or memorizing frameworks — without addressing the underlying cognitive and emotional dynamics that drive decisions. By integrating insights from behavioral science, negotiation research, and modern leadership psychology, learners develop the ability to understand how people think and feel, anticipate responses, and communicate with clarity, empathy, and precision.
The result is influence that is ethical, consistent, and effective, whether in boardrooms, client negotiations, or personal relationships.
Who This Course Is For
-
Entrepreneurs & founders managing investors, teams, and clients
​
-
Managers, consultants & leaders navigating conflict and alignment
​
-
Sales & business development professionals closing high-trust deals
​
-
Creative directors & strategists communicating vision across disciplines
​
-
Anyone who wants to understand people as well as they understand systems
The Tao Learning Format
Here’s what you can expect each week:
Guided Activities:
Practical exercises to help you immediately apply what you’ve learned
Podcast Summaries:
Listen on the go and revisit the essentials anytime, anywhere.
Written Content :
Dive deeper with structured, easy-to-follow modules on the different elements of Flow.
Curated Resources:
Extra readings, tools, and references to strengthen your practice beyond the course.
Week 1 — The Psychology of Persuasion & Human Decision
​
Understand why people say yes, no, or nothing at all.
Topics:
-
Cognitive biases & emotional triggers
-
The neuroscience of tone, trust & safety
-
Motivation mapping & perception filters
-
Case study: How great negotiators build trust before argument
Practical:
Your Influence Baseline: Psychological & emotional calibration audit
Week 3 — Strategic Communication & Linguistic Design
​
Learn to speak with clarity, resonance, and intention.
Topics:
-
Persuasive narrative structure
-
Framing, reframing, and emotional syntax
-
Game theory in communication (reciprocity, status, timing)
-
Identifying your influence archetype
Practical:
Your Personal Communication Identity Journal
4 - Week Module Breakdown
Week 2 — Negotiation Frameworks: From Theory to Application
​
Where psychology becomes strategy.
Topics:
-
Harvard’s Principled Negotiation
-
BATNA, anchoring & power dynamics
-
Tactical empathy, mirroring & calibrated questions
-
Case analyses from business, leadership & crisis negotiation
Practical:
Live negotiation deconstruction lab
Week 4 — High-Stakes Integration & Influence Simulation
​
Where everything converges into capability.
Topics:
-
Investor meeting simulations
-
Conflict resolution frameworks
-
High-stakes leadership communication
-
Presence, calm, and the Tao approach to influence
Practical:
Your Strategic Communication Manifesto
Invest in Your Next Chapter
Negotiation, Persuasion and Strategic Communication Programme is priced at..
R 4 800
You’re standing at the edge of the next chapter in your career.
Have a question or ready to take the next step?
Our team is here to guide you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring our courses, need help choosing the right path, or want to collaborate with Tao Academy — we’d love to hear from you.
​
​
​
We look forward to being part of your journey with Tao Academy.
The Key to Conscious Learning