Noa Sheer is the founder and director of Sheer Negotiations, a consultancy that provides negotiation training and coaching for agency leaders.

“When you are skilled at negotiation, you recognise potential and solutions that others don’t. It’s not that you are smarter than others, but your professionalism keeps you from being distracted by emotions and tactics,” she says.

Sheer walks us through the tips and business benefits of negotiating with clarity and confidence.

What does a typical day look like for you as the founder and director of Sheer Negotiations?

My days are split between two modes: delivery and design. On delivery days I am coaching executives, running training for leadership teams or preparing clients for live negotiations. On design days I am building the systems behind negotiation performance: templates, standard operating procedures and playbooks that make negotiation capability consistent across a business rather than dependent on one or two talented individuals.

A typical day also includes research and writing. I stay close to the academic literature because I want everything I teach to be defensible and evidence-based. I spend time distilling what is complex into what is usable – frameworks that help people act with clarity in the real world.

What inspired you to establish the company in 2015?

I started Sheer Negotiations because I saw a gap between what we know from research and what happens in practice. Negotiation is often treated as a soft skill, or a personality trait – something you either have or you do not. That is simply not true. The best negotiators are structured. They prepare. They ask better questions. They understand how decisions are made.

I wanted to build a consultancy that brings academic rigor into the boardroom, and helps professionals negotiate ethically and effectively without intimidation or games. I also wanted to help women feel full permission to ask for what they need and to lead with confidence, backed by strategy.

How would you define a negotiation culture, and why is it important for organisational success?

A negotiation culture is the set of shared behaviours, standards and expectations that shape how an organisation prepares for, conducts and reviews negotiations. It includes how teams define value, how they handle disagreement, how they build trust and how they make decisions under pressure.

It matters because negotiation happens everywhere – with clients, suppliers, partners, regulators and internally between teams. When negotiation capability is inconsistent, outcomes become unpredictable. When a negotiation culture is strong, the organisation becomes more commercial, more aligned and more confident. It saves time, protects reputation and improves outcomes.

What are the key components of a strong negotiation culture?

First, a shared language. People need common terms and frameworks so they can plan and debrief consistently. Second, a preparation discipline – negotiation planning needs to be treated like project planning. Third, systems – templates, SOPs and clear decision rights, so teams know how to negotiate without escalation. Fourth, leadership modelling. If senior leaders do not demonstrate the standard, the culture will not stick. Fifth, a relationship mindset. The strongest negotiators create value and protect trust at the same time. They do not trade outcomes for harmony, and they do not trade relationships for short-term wins.

What is your top piece of advice for Kiwi business leaders?

Treat negotiation as a technical leadership skill. If you want better outcomes, stop hoping your people will “handle it” and start building a repeatable system for how negotiations are planned, run and reviewed.

One well-negotiated contract can repay the investment in capability. A negotiation culture repays it forever.