Style vs substance in deal making
Had a great discussion about negotiations with a friend over lunch today. He is currently finalizing the details of a compensation package for a new job at a growing start-up.
During the negotiation, he and his employer have gone back and forth a few times on almost all aspects of the contract. And there have been some big shifts in terms over the negotiation. Ultimately, I think the package is something that both parties are going to be able to live with.
But the nature of this process has left a bad taste in the mouth of my friend. Its hard not to draw conclusions about the working style of a contemporary based on their attitudes towards a negotiation, and that raises questions about their working relationship. I have seen this type of thing happen many times, and it just reaffirms the first rule of negotiations - your attitude and approach to any one round will end up influencing the outcome of future rounds.
It might be that the numbers don’t really matter that much (at least within a reasonable range), but style and process absolutely do.
