Kirk is an active professional negotiator and former highly experienced police negotiator. He has been deployed as the lead negotiator on a number of occasions where UK nationals have been kidnapped abroad. He has instructed on Hostage and Crisis Negotiation since 2001, within the UK and abroad. As the recent... Read more
Kirk is an active professional negotiator and former highly experienced police negotiator. He has been deployed as the lead negotiator on a number of occasions where UK nationals have been kidnapped abroad.
He has instructed on Hostage and Crisis Negotiation since 2001, within the UK and abroad. As the recent Head of Hostage Negotiation and Armed Policing in Scotland, he has a unique insight into both disciplines, which complement each other in the resolution of conflict.
He has spoken at various National Conferences including Columbus Ohio, Sweden, Dubai, Japan and has instructed internationally at the Hostage Crisis Negotiator Course of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Quantico, Virginia, USA.
He represented the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on the U.K. Government Counter Terrorist Bilateral Assistance Programme by training the Philippine National Police.
In 2017, he was the lead advisor to U.S. Law Enforcement on Conflict Resolution, Decision Making and De-escalation of Force, facilitating training in Boston, Washington, New York, Savannah and New Orleans.
He currently shares his experience and delivers training for both the Humanitarian Organisations and Private Sector on Decision Making, Negotiation, Listening and Influencing Skills throughout the U.K. and beyond to places like New Zealand, Brazil, Singapore, China, Oman, Dubai, Lebanon, Republic of Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Serbia, France, Belgium and Italy.
As a professional negotiator, he has been involved in numerous financial and contract disputes, finding resolutions for his clients. Working on multimillion pound deals, he has recently saved clients seven, eight and nine figure amounts.
He is an associate of ADN Group (Paris) and is currently employed as a consultant with the CCHN Humanitarian Negotiation Organisation.
In terms of Higher Education, he has a BA Degree in Policing Studies from Strathclyde University and a Certificate in Terrorism Studies from St Andrews University.
He currently delivers training to students in the UK at the University of St Andrews and Cambridge. Outwith The UK, he also he delivers training on the Executive MBA programme at the Universities of St Gallen, Switzerland and HEC in Paris as well as Harvard Kennedy Business School in Massachusetts.
He is a married man living on the outskirts of Glasgow with his wife and two children.
This module covers the anticipated process and first steps from creating a first impression to leaving a lasting sustainable relationship.
This module focuses on the listening skills used by hostage negotiators to assist in understanding the perspective of others.
This module covers skills utilised to maintain the best possible environment in which to engage clients in dialogue for the Situational & Cultural Factors / Behavioural Indicators (verbal, non-verbal, para-verbal).
This module focuses on the roles within the team and relationship with decision maker. Role clarity ensures the absence of ambiguity which are essential in separating operational and contractual requirements between the entities.
This module focuses on how to establish the principles required for credibility in the eyes of your partners.
This module focuses on how to secure the mandate and the subsequent trigger points for liaising with Decision Makers.
This module focuses on making, recording and reviewing critical decisions during the negotiation process.
This module focuses on how to prepare for and engage in challenging and difficult conversations maintaining the balance of assertiveness and respectful conflict.
This module focuses on the listening skills used by hostage negotiators to assist in understanding the perspective of others.
This module focuses on how to understand and connect with other people through articulation of their drivers, values and beliefs.
This module focuses on the use of Listening Skills & Empathy to connect with the values and beliefs of other people and how to influence their behaviour.
This module focuses on how to identify, store and use leverage to influence the relationship whilst maintaining a sustainable relationship.
This module focuses on how to resolve conflict and reduce tension, subsequently building a sustainable relationship.
This module focuses on how to use the skills acquired, whilst facing difficult and challenging personality types.
This module focuses on Stress Inoculation Training and how to manage stress in high pressure situations.
This module is drawn from the world of Counter Terrorist Armed Operations and shows students how to evaluate and manage Threats and Risk to prevent harm and achieve goals.