Boardroom Negotiation Simulation

• Take on roles as executives, directors, or investors with distinct agendas

• Negotiate high-stakes strategic issues in boardroom settings

• Balance governance, ethics, and shareholder priorities

• Draft board memos, resolutions, or press statements

• Respond to crises like activist campaigns or reputational damage

• Build alliances or challenge opposing positions to influence outcomes

By the end of the simulation, participants will be able to:

• Apply negotiation frameworks to board-level decisions

• Manage conflicting priorities across diverse stakeholders

• Demonstrate ethical leadership in high-stakes contexts

• Communicate persuasively in boardroom environments

• Balance governance, strategy, and shareholder expectations

• Recognize the impact of trust and influence on decisions

• Lead alignment around complex or contentious issues

• Adapt strategy in response to new developments

• Strengthen collaboration under pressure

• Reflect on personal negotiation style and effectiveness

The simulation’s flexible structure ensures that these objectives can be calibrated to match the depth, duration, and focus areas of each program, whether in higher education or corporate learning.

This simulation can run individually or in teams and is suited to universities, executive programs, or corporate leadership workshops. Each round mirrors a phase of boardroom decision-making.

1. Receive a Scenario or Brief: Participants receive a board-level challenge, such as an acquisition proposal, CEO transition, or governance crisis, with clear objectives and roles.

2. Analyse the Situation: They review financials, stakeholder briefs, and governance implications, assessing risks and opportunities.

3. Negotiate in the Boardroom: Participants present positions, debate trade-offs, and negotiate toward resolutions—balancing influence, compromise, and persuasion.

4. Collaborate or Compete: Depending on role, participants may form alliances, challenge peers, or advocate for particular stakeholder interests.

5. Communicate Decisions: Teams draft resolutions, board statements, or external communications reflecting the negotiated outcome.

6. Review and Iterate: Feedback reveals impacts on strategy, governance score, and stakeholder trust. Subsequent rounds introduce new crises or shifts requiring adaptation.

• Do participants need boardroom experience? No. The simulation is accessible for all levels, with context provided for each role.

• Can it be tailored for specific industries? Yes. Scenarios can be customized for finance, energy, tech, or consumer sectors.

• Does it include ethics and governance dilemmas? Yes. Ethical trade-offs are built into board decisions and stakeholder dynamics.

• **Is there a negotiation component? Absolutely. Negotiation and persuasion are central to the gameplay.

• Can participants work in teams? Yes. Teams or individuals can play roles such as executives, independent directors, or investors.

• How long does it take? It can run in 2-hour workshops, multi-day courses, or semester-long modules.

• Is the simulation online-compatible? Yes. It works in digital, in-person, or hybrid formats.

• How is success measured? By governance scores, stakeholder trust, and strategic alignment in decisions.

• Can universities use it for corporate governance courses? Yes. It’s a strong fit for MBA, executive education, and governance programs.

• Does it include crisis response? Yes. Rounds can feature activist campaigns, reputational risks, or shareholder revolts.

• Effectiveness in negotiation and alignment

• Ethical reasoning and governance insight

• Communication clarity and persuasion under pressure

• Responsiveness to evolving dynamics

• Peer/self-assessments on collaboration and influence

You can also include memo writing and debrief presentations as part of the assessment structure. This flexibility allows the simulation to be easily integrated by professors as graded courses at universities and by HR at assessment centres at companies.