Meet Nigel Taberner, Hostage Negotiator

Nigel Taberner is a former UK hostage negotiator.

What would you say to a man holding a gun to their partner’s head?

Very few people are faced with having to make those life-or-death decisions, but for 10 years that was the world that Nigel lived in as a hostage negotiator. During that time, he successfully resolved more than 130 high-risk armed sieges, suicide threats and international negotiations.

Nigel now lifts the lid on his time as a hostage negotiator and reveals transferable skills from that largely hidden world, to help leaders and teams improve performance, well-being and outcomes through adopting the principles of truly effective listening, communication and influence.

Nigel realised very early on in his career as a negotiator, that many of the skills that he was using were also critical in the effective running of any business or organisation.

These include:

• Communication Skills: Hostage negotiators are trained to be excellent communicators. They are trained to listen like a life depends on it, so they pick up vital information that people often miss. This is what gives them the edge…
• Building relationships: Hostage negotiators are skilled at building rapport and trust with people in high-pressure situations. These are the key steps that allow them to influence those around them. These skills are invaluable in the business world, where building strong relationships with customers, partners, and stakeholders can be critical to success.
• Emotional Intelligence: Hostage negotiators have a high level of emotional intelligence. They are able to read and interpret the emotions of the people involved in the situation, whilst controlling their own, even in the most fraught of situations. They then use this information to guide their communication and decision-making.
• De-escalating conflict: Hostage negotiators are skilled at managing high-pressure situations and de-escalating tension. They understand that to deal with the issue, they have to first deal with the emotions and restore rational thinking. They know how to persuade people to do the right thing.
• Strategic Thinking: Negotiators think strategically and come up with creative solutions to complex problems. They are able to assess a situation calmly, quickly and make decisions that can help bring about a safe resolution.
• Resilience: Negotiators are trained to handle high-pressure situations and to bounce back from setbacks. They are able to remain calm and focused, even in the most challenging situations.
• Influence: Negotiating without bargaining power can be challenging. The key is to focus on building relationships and creating value for both parties, rather than trying to impose one's will on the other party. It requires patience, persistence, and creativity, but with the right approach, hostage negotiators worldwide have shown that it is possible to achieve a successful outcome.

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Location

Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Talbot Road, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester M16 0PX

Speaker

Nigel Taberner

Nigel spent 30 years with the Greater Manchester Police. His wide-ranging operational career saw him rise to the rank of Detective Inspector, responsible for counter-terrorism policing operations.

He was a member of the training team that created a new generation of negotiators in the UK, Finland, Australia and the FBI.

Testimonials about Nigel include:

“First rate, gripping, well delivered and highly relevant to our staff. This really was exactly what we were looking for and was just superb.”

""Engaging, insightful, thought provoking" and "A very powerful and worthwhile session."