Negotiation & Strategic Influence.
Cross-cultural negotiation intelligence for professionals who negotiate across Asia. From Fisher & Ury to game theory. From nemawashi to guanxi. The only negotiation programme built for how Asia actually works.
in Asia
Modules
Studies
Markets
Frameworks
Why Most Negotiation Training Fails in Asia.
The dominant negotiation frameworks were built in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They assume direct communication, individual decision-making, and the separation of relationships from business. None of these assumptions hold in Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul or Singapore.
The Direct Communication Assumption
Fisher & Ury assume interests can be stated explicitly. In high-context cultures, “that would be difficult” means no. Silence after a proposal is productive processing, not discomfort. Western-trained teams misread every signal.
The People–Problem Separation
“Separate people from problems” is structurally invalid in guanxi-based cultures where the relationship IS the deal. In nemawashi systems, the process IS the outcome. Western frameworks miss the architecture of Asian decision-making entirely.
The Individual Rationality Assumption
The Harvard model assumes negotiators act as rational individuals. In collectivist cultures, decisions run through group consensus, hierarchical approval, and network consultation. “Individual rationality” is a culturally specific concept.
Western frameworks are necessary but insufficient. The Harvard model gives you the analytical foundations. Cultural intelligence gives you the walls and roof. Game theory gives you the strategic vision. You need all three to negotiate effectively across Asia.
— Brendan McMahon · Founder, Sigma Mentoring · 28 Years Across Asia
What Your Team Gets.
A complete negotiation intelligence system — not a slide deck with a certificate. Every component is designed to change behaviour, not just transfer information.
Interactive Modules
Slide-based immersive lessons. Diagnose → Understand → Apply → Commit. Twelve lessons total.
Live Case Studies
Grab, Toyota–BMW, BYD, Samsung–Apple, Shein, Petronas. Real companies, real negotiations, real lessons.
Framework Deep-Dives
Fisher & Ury, BATNA/ZOPA, Relational BATNA, Culture Map, Tactic Matrix, Game Theory Bridge, and more.
Interactive Quizzes
Negotiation archetype diagnostic, knowledge test, and scenario-based strategy quiz. Scored with personalised feedback.
Calculators & Tools
Relational BATNA Calculator with country-specific weighting. Cultural Briefing Generator for pre-negotiation prep.
Role-Play Simulation
The Shanghai Event — a two-part negotiation where power dynamics reverse. Cultural briefing, secret briefs, facilitator guide.
Term Rubric
Key vocabulary in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Academic, consulting and Sigma proprietary terms.
Personal Playbook
The capstone. Each participant builds a Negotiation Playbook they take back to work. Diagnostic results, templates, checklists.
Three Capability Changes You Will See.
We do not promise “better negotiation skills.” We promise three specific, observable behaviour changes that your team’s counterparts will notice.
Pre-Negotiation Analysis Becomes Instinct
Participants will instinctively conduct a Cultural Briefing and Relational BATNA calculation before any cross-cultural negotiation — not because they were told to, but because the framework makes the invisible visible. The question “what is their face cost if we walk away?” becomes automatic.
Real-Time Cultural Signal Reading
Participants will read high-context signals — silence, indirect refusal, face-saving language, kibun shifts — and adjust their communication style without losing authenticity or strategic intent. They will stop filling Japanese silence with concessions.
Relationship-Aware Post-Negotiation Review
Participants will evaluate outcomes not just on deal terms but on relationship trajectory, network effects, and long-term strategic positioning — the metrics that actually predict success in Asian business. “Did we close?” becomes “Did we build?”
Three Ways to Deploy.
Every format includes the complete digital ecosystem. Choose the delivery that fits your team’s schedule, budget and learning culture.
Digital Ecosystem
- Full 31-file interactive ecosystem — hub, modules, cases, frameworks, quizzes, calculators
- Self-paced completion in 4–6 hours
- Trilingual rubric (EN/JP/ZH/KO)
- Personal Negotiation Playbook template
- 12 months access & updates
Live Workshop
- Everything in Digital, plus:
- Full-day (7 hours) or two half-days facilitated workshop
- Shanghai Event role-play with live debrief
- Pre-workshop diagnostic + personalised coaching notes
- Real negotiation case from your industry prepared in advance
- Post-workshop Playbook review session (30 days)
Programme Integration
- Everything in Live Workshop, plus:
- Multi-cohort rollout (quarterly or monthly)
- Custom case studies from your company’s actual negotiations
- Integration with SM-GT-CS (Game Theory) & SM-AFL-01 (AI Fluency)
- LMS deployment on your platform or Sigma’s Academy LMS
- Executive debrief — board-level summary of team diagnostic results
How SM-NEG-01 Compares.
The global negotiation training market is dominated by programmes designed for Western domestic contexts. Here is how Sigma stacks up.
| Capability | Harvard PON | Scotwork | Karrass | Sigma SM-NEG-01 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principled Negotiation (Fisher & Ury) | ✓ | ~ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Game Theory Integration | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross-Cultural Depth (6+ Asian markets) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Asian Case Studies (Grab · BYD · Samsung · Petronas) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Relational BATNA (culturally adjusted walk-away) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| AI-Assisted Negotiation Preparation | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Interactive Digital Ecosystem (31 HTML files) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Trilingual Rubric (JP / ZH / KO) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tactic-Level Training | ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Delivered by Asia-Based Practitioner | ✗ | ~ | ✗ | ✓ |
Built by a Practitioner. Formerly a Professor.
Brendan McMahon
28 years based in Asia — Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea. Not studying these markets from an office in London. Living in them, negotiating in them, building businesses in them.
Sigma Mentoring’s courses are built on the premise that Western frameworks are necessary but insufficient. The Harvard model gives you the analytical skeleton. Cultural intelligence gives you the flesh. Game theory gives you the strategic vision. You need all three to negotiate effectively across Asia.
Who This Programme Is For.
SM-NEG-01 is designed for professionals who negotiate across cultural boundaries — not as a theoretical exercise, but as a daily operational reality.
Asian Executives Negotiating Globally
Senior professionals from Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia or Vietnam who negotiate with Western counterparts and need to understand both sides of the cultural equation.
Western Professionals Entering Asia
MNC teams expanding into Asian markets, M&A teams negotiating cross-border deals, procurement teams managing Asian supply chains. The cultural intelligence gap costs real money.
Corporate L&D Seeking Asia-Specific Content
Training managers who have tried Harvard-style programmes and found them culturally insufficient. If your team negotiates in Asia, you need a programme built for Asia.
Start With a Conversation.
Every engagement begins with a 30-minute consultation. We will discuss your team’s negotiation challenges, cultural context, and which delivery format fits. No commitment. No pitch deck. Just a conversation.
