Negotiation Tutorial - Bargaining tactics

Summary

This video showcases a negotiation between Tom and his manager, Sarah, discussing the possibility of implementing flexible work hours at their company. Tom uses effective strategies like slow negotiation, presenting research, and brainstorming solutions to overcome resistance. As the conversation progresses, Tom demonstrates how employee satisfaction, productivity, and reduced turnover can benefit from flexible schedules. The negotiation concludes with Tom promising to gather data and design a pilot plan to present to the executive team, moving closer to his goal while maintaining a professional yet persistent approach.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tom effectively uses a slow and steady approach in his negotiation, allowing him to meet resistance with brainstorming and strategic persistence.
• 😀 Flex time policies can increase employee satisfaction, productivity, and reduce turnover, as demonstrated by Tom's research and experience.
• 😀 Tom frames his request for flex time in a way that appeals to both personal and business benefits, leveraging data to back up his argument.
• 😀 Tom highlights that micromanagement isn't always necessary, as evidenced by his team's productivity in his absence.
• 😀 Identifying specific individuals (like Steve and Sally) who would benefit from flex time helps personalize the argument and make it more relatable.
• 😀 Tom introduces the idea that employee morale and flexibility can contribute positively to the bottom line, despite initial skepticism from Sarah.
• 😀 Tom suggests starting small with a pilot program, such as testing flex time with one team (e.g., engineering), to reduce the risk and make the proposal more manageable.
• 😀 Tom commits to providing data-driven evidence (customer service stats, research, and pilot results) to make a strong case to the executive team.
• 😀 Sarah is willing to consider the proposal but needs clear objectives and evidence, highlighting the importance of data and measurable outcomes in negotiations.
• 😀 Tom proactively suggests creating a pilot plan along with measurement targets, anticipating Sarah's needs and further demonstrating his commitment to the idea.
• 😀 Through careful negotiation and flexibility, Tom and Sarah reach an agreement to present the proposal to the executive team, showing how persistence and preparation can lead to success.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the negotiation between Tom and Sarah?

The negotiation revolves around Tom requesting a flexwork arrangement, where employees could work from home or have flexible schedules, based on the success of his own experience during paternity leave.

What strategy does Tom use when Sarah expresses resistance to the idea of flexwork?

Tom uses a calm and well-prepared approach, offering research, statistics, and examples to demonstrate how flexwork has benefited other companies, and he also presents potential solutions like piloting the idea with one team to ease the transition.

Why does Tom suggest that the entire company could benefit from a flex-time policy?

Tom suggests that the company could benefit because flex-time policies have been shown to increase employee satisfaction, productivity, and reduce employee turnover, based on his research of similar companies.

What was Sarah’s initial response to Tom’s proposal of a flexwork policy?

Sarah initially shows skepticism, expressing that a radical change like flexwork might be fine for a smaller company or startup but would be difficult to implement in a large company like theirs.

How does Tom counter Sarah’s concerns about the impact of flexwork on company operations?

Tom counters by sharing specific examples from his own department, such as improved customer service and productivity when he worked remotely, and highlighting how a flexible system could be set up to avoid disruptions.

What are the key points Sarah says she needs from Tom to get on board with the proposal?

Sarah mentions that she would need Tom to make a compelling case demonstrating how flexwork would benefit the company's bottom line, provide data, and show how employees can perform their jobs remotely, even in other departments.

How does Tom further refine his pitch to gain Sarah’s support?

Tom suggests a compromise, proposing to design a pilot program with clear objectives and measurement targets to test the idea on a small team before expanding it company-wide.

What role does brainstorming play in this negotiation?

Brainstorming plays a key role in overcoming resistance. When Sarah shows hesitation, Tom responds by brainstorming practical solutions, such as piloting the flexwork policy with one team, rather than attempting a large-scale change immediately.

What is the significance of the customer service stats Tom mentions during the discussion?

The customer service stats serve as evidence of Tom’s productivity and the team's success while working remotely. They show a tangible benefit, such as a 10% drop in complaints and a corresponding increase in sales, helping Tom build his case for flexwork.

How does Tom ensure that his proposal moves forward after the negotiation?

Tom ensures that his proposal moves forward by agreeing to provide additional data, designing a pilot program, and setting a clear deadline to present the proposal to the executive team, thus demonstrating commitment and preparing for the next steps.