Hostage Negotiator Skills Event – Transform your ability to influence in business

Time: Registration and refreshments with light buffet lunch from 12:30pm for 1.00pm start (2:00pm finish)

Venue: Park Plaza Leeds

Function Space – Plaza Suite 1&2 (third floor)

For many people communication is looked upon as a soft skill, but what if lives quite literally depend on your ability to listen, communicate and influence.

As a former hostage negotiator who spent years negotiating in some of the most extreme situations from kidnap negotiation to suicide intervention, Kevin will tell you that when lives depend on it communication is anything but a soft skill, when used consciously it is the most powerful influencing tool you have.

In an interactive talk Kevin will share his personal journey to becoming head of the hostage negotiation unit for Greater Manchester police, sharing some of his experience from the world of hostage negotiation and making you think about how you communicate. You will never listen the same again.

Learning objectives
By the end of the session, delegates will be able to:
• Understand more about how we all communicate
• Develop an ability to listen differently
• Explain how these experiences can translate into better leadership, negotiation and client retention skills

Speaker Biography
As a Hostage Negotiator Kevin has years of experience communicating in the most difficult and challenging situations, from Kidnap and Barricade Siege Negotiation to Suicide Intervention and negotiating the surrender of Dangerous Offenders at large. With over 27 years experience in a wide variety of policing disciplines, his experience includes both overt and covert policing roles; and ranges from walking the beat as a uniformed officer to Chief Inspector.

A UK trained hostage negotiator and graduate of the FBI’s hostage negotiation program, Kevin is passionate about the work of hostage negotiators and has been one of the driving forces behind the continued development of negotiation training in the UK and overseas.

Kevin’s passion for his work coupled with his ability to engage an audience and translate his knowledge, experience and the lessons learned throughout his career, into the workplace have seen him become recognised as an inspirational thought leader in the areas of negotiation, leadership and dealing with conflict. Working across a wide variety of sectors from Elite Sports to Marketing. A fantastic story teller he draws on his extensive experience gained through some of the most challenging situations imaginable, from being held hostage at gunpoint himself through to negotiating in international kidnaps to engage and keep his audience entertained whilst they learn vital skills for the workplace.