Power Play & Status: The Negotiation Playground

You’re sitting across from someone who wants an answer now.

You need time to think. But they push harder.

You feel the tension. You want to say what’s bubbling up inside, but the words won’t come out.

And afterwards... you regret not speaking up.

What if the outcome could be different?

What if their directness isn’t necessarily a personal attack, but simply a different way of communicating?

Welcome to The Negotiation Playground!

Difficult negotiations are hard to practise in real life because the consequences are real. Here, you can try new things, pause, change approaches, switch perspectives and try again.

In this immersive, full-day workshop, we invite you to get curious, experiment and learn by doing.

• Recognise power dynamics, understand what the other person needs and become more strategic about how you respond.

• Practise saying what you need, while understanding what matters to others and finding a way forward together.

• Explore DiSC behavioural styles to understand differences in communication, pace and priorities.

Meet your two facilitators!

Matías Avaca brings his experience as a Senior Engineering Manager in the software industry, combining leadership, systems thinking and a curiosity about what makes people tick.

Susan Zheng is a DiSC Advanced Accredited Consultant. She draws on techniques from Chris Voss, Jefferson Fisher and Janine Driver to explore negotiation, communication under pressure and body language.

Both are applied improv facilitators. Together, they’ve created a day where you can discover better ways to handle tricky conversations.

Expect a practical, playful day!

You’ll take part in short exercises, paired conversations and realistic workplace scenarios.

You’ll have opportunities to replay moments and discover what changes when you adjust your words, body language or approach to status.

You’ll practise skills to help you speak up with confidence, adapt your negotiation approach and work better with others.

*No previous improv or acting experience is required.

Benefits / Learning Outcomes

You’ll practise how to:

• Prepare for important conversations without a fixed script.

• Use DiSC to understand your own communication style and adapt to others.

• Explore voice, body language and status and how they shape a conversation.

• Spot misunderstandings early and help prevent conflict from escalating.

• Try different scenarios through playful roleplay, swap perspectives and discover what works for you.

⚡ Book now! A small group. Your chance to practise.

Join us for a playful, hands-on day. Places are limited so everyone has time to practise, experiment and get personal feedback.

This is a rare opportunity to work with Matías as he's in Sydney for one weekend only!

Book your spot now and step into The Negotiation Playground