The Tharawat Family Business Forum, the association for family-owned companies in the MENA, hosted two MasterClasses in its first collaboration with the prestigious Law School of the City University of London on December 9th and 10th in Dubai. The interactive MasterClasses addressed the topics of effective presentation and negotiation skills for business leaders.
According to a study by the Project Management Institute (PMI), from 2013 “Ineffective communications is the primary contributor to project failure one third of the time, and had a negative impact on project success more than half the time.” Research has also found that negotiating within family businesses is a crucial ‘day-to-day’ challenge – be it negotiating on behalf of the family or with the family. In a 2012 study by IMD, authors highlight the added complexities in negotiating with family members versus non-family colleagues. Enhancing negotiation and presentation skills is therefore crucial for family business members, both as tools in contributing to business growth and innovation, as well as in establishing effective communication channels amongst family members.
Tharawat’s interactive MasterClasses for family business members across the MENA region are high quality courses held in collaboration with international partners, in a format that is easily accessible for its members. Specifically tailored for members of family-owned businesses, the MasterClasses were attended by participants from the UAE, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan and KSA, from across various industries and generations.
The courses were taught by Mr. Robin Sellers, a Senior Lecturer at the City University London, Law School, as well as a practicing barrister in London. Mr. Sellers drew from his rich and varied background as academic and active lawyer to give family business members unique insights into the crucial fields of negotiation practice and effective presentations.
The MasterClasses offered attendees a unique mix of learning through theory and hands-on practice during the sessions. Based on a case study from the family business field, attendees were exposed to different styles of negotiation, given practical tools to facilitate the negotiation process, and practiced impactful presentations. They also received individual feedback on their skills, and had the opportunity to try the tools within group sessions.
Commenting on the classes, Ms. Farida El Agamy, General Manager of the Tharawat Family Business Forum said: “It is important to Tharawat to be able to offer targeted sessions to our members and extended network with such a valuable partner as the City University London Law School. Giving individuals access to high quality training is a cornerstone in supporting current and future business leaders to impact the growth and the innovation within family businesses in our region.”