Are You a Good Negotiator? Haitham El-kott’s Challenge Sparks a Conversation on Strategic Negotiation Skills

A reflection on self-awareness, negotiation strategy, and why true mastery begins with honest self-evaluation.

Introduction

“Test yourself and know: Are you a good negotiator?”
That was the bold opening from Haitham El-kott, MBA, PMP, PRMG, TOT, in a recent LinkedIn post that quickly captured the attention of business leaders and consultants. Through a straightforward, self-assessment method, Haitham challenged his audience to confront an uncomfortable truth: most people think they are strong negotiators—but few actually are.

Background & Context

Haitham El-kott, a well-respected figure in training, project management, and consultancy services, launched an interactive post to help professionals gauge their real negotiation abilities. In a world where negotiation skills can make or break deals, careers, and organizational success, Haitham’s post arrived at the perfect time—offering a practical self-diagnostic tool when many leaders are rethinking their strategic competencies for 2025.

The post proposed a 20-question self-assessment scored on a 5-point scale. Based on their total score, professionals could categorize themselves from “natural negotiator” to “needs development,” providing a clear, actionable insight into their readiness for real-world negotiation scenarios.

Main Takeaways / Observations

1. Clarity Through Simple Self-Evaluation
Rather than complex theories, Haitham used a quick, relatable quiz format. This approach made the concept accessible to everyone, from new professionals to seasoned executives.

2. Four Levels of Negotiation Readiness

• 90–100 points: You possess the natural traits and readiness of a master negotiator.

• 80–89 points: You have solid negotiation traits but need to sharpen your strategies and tactics.

• 65–79 points: You require significant development to apply negotiation frameworks effectively.

• Below 64 points: You need foundational skills training to progress as a negotiator.

3. Negotiation Is a Trainable Skill
Haitham emphasized that negotiation prowess is not necessarily innate—anyone can build it with focus, training, and experience.

Community Reaction

The post generated meaningful engagement, with several comments from respected figures in project management and strategy consulting.

• Wael Eldeeb commented, “Allah bless you, engineer.”

• Mohammad Abdulrahman Al-Batsha reflected on the depth of negotiation strategy, highlighting that sustainable economic agreements rely on mastering strategic negotiation.

• Dr. Nagwa Mahgoub and Mahmoud Abdallah both praised the post for its simplicity and value, commenting, “Well done.”

It’s clear that Haitham’s interactive format resonated with a wide audience seeking practical ways to measure and improve critical leadership skills.

Our Perspective / Analysis

From a business strategy and legal consulting point of view, Haitham’s approach is crucial. Often, contract negotiations stall not because of legal complexity but due to poor communication, misaligned expectations, or emotional decisions.
In our work, we observe that structured negotiation techniques—rooted in preparation, stakeholder analysis, and clarity of objectives—greatly reduce risks and increase the success of partnerships, mergers, and strategic agreements.
Haitham’s model encourages leaders to self-diagnose weaknesses before walking into a negotiation room, thereby protecting their organizations from preventable losses.

Call to Reflection or Action

If negotiation is the art of creating value while protecting interests, what does your negotiation score reveal about your future leadership potential?
Before you step into your next big deal, ask yourself: “Am I negotiating, or just talking?”

Click here to visit LinkedIn post