Week 6 – Chiptech Negotiation Journal
MNGT859
Zach Lewis
Names: Zach Lewis/Chris Brown; Anthony Grese/Terry Austin
Date: 12/2/2021
We had a very detailed conversation around the nuts and bolts of HR’s budget request. I asked
very detailed questions around how it would deliver results, when we would know it’s
delivering, and whether we could do a piecemeal approach or all or nothing. Once we settled on
it having to be all or nothing, and having a great deal of support from the President of our
company, we agreed to the 30%. It was matched with bi-weekly meetings to ensure we were
tracking and delivering on promised returns, with escalations and follow ups when/where
needed.
Ultimately, my biggest mistake was not driving harder when asking about the metrics and the
value they would bring to our company. We talked about what they were and where they would
go directionally, but I stopped short of getting the essential details. Ultimately, having those
wouldn’t have changed the outcome of our agreement. My counterpart didn’t really make a
mistake from his side. Although, once we agreed to 30%, he flipped it trying to get a better
outcome for both of us and it left me confused thinking he wasn’t being open about the all or
nothing approach.
From the start of the negotiation, we both were using probing questions to gain details of our
positions and better understand our room for agreement. Additionally, we both were in lockstep
around profitability and growth goals of the company and this really helped guide our
conversation from start to finish. Further, we both agreed that this approach could really be what
the company needs to get out of the rut, and that we’d work hand in hand to deliver it.
Going forward, my goal is to driver deeper and more universally reach the most tangible details
of information across whole process and not just on my “targeted” points.
