The_Negotiation_Society_Magazine_Issue_11

I S S U E 11
The Negotiation Society
BRINGING THE ART AND SCIENCE OF NEGOTIATION TO LIFE
FOLLOW THE
LEADERS
What makes a modern leader tick?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
06
12
Follow the
leaders
Six inspirational leaders
share their stories.
Negotiation
consulting
Demystifying a
powerful support for
commercial teams.
WELCOME FROM GRAHAM
20 24
The blossoming
of Anu
A tale of growth inside
and outside of work.
28 30
The future of
procurement
Introducing Enhance,
a game-changing
negotiation toolkit.
How to make
brands
The creator revolution
transforming brands
and businesses.
The
generation gap
The imminent takeover
by next-gen leaders.
In today’s world, the need for strong leadership is
critical. This edition of The Negotiation Society
magazine takes a deep look at leadership and influence.
We explore perspectives from inspirational leaders.
PepsiCo’s Brian Ripley describes the importance of
tone and role modeling, while Jane Shepherdson,
former CEO of Whistles, shares her leadership
thoughts with a fashion filter – no industry is having
to reinvent itself more.
Anna Winters and Lucia Roccatagliata demystify
negotiation consulting. Emily Chee investigates how
social media influencers are building brands. Jordan
Steinohrt predicts the leadership trends we’ll see as
Boomers exit stage left and Gen Z’ers take up the
mantle. And Kelly Harborne reports on our research
into the biggest commercial trends of the moment
and how negotiation is integral to navigating these.
I’ll finish with my thought for this edition. Nearly
every leader I talk to is describing unprecedented levels
of ambiguity and uncertainty. Never has it been more
important for today’s leader to question prolifically,
listen and analyze to understand their business
context; be decisive around direction; communicate
that direction clearly and simply to their team;
and drive consistency of execution through
measurable accountability.
If you don’t have those four things in play today,
you’re missing a big opportunity!
Graham Botwright
CEO, The Gap Partnership
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2

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Brian Ripley
As Vice President at PepsiCo,
Brian is responsible for leading
the business development
organization in the U.S. An
executive with a passion for
negotiation, people development,
and innovative ideas, he has over
23 years of sales leadership
experience. Brian holds a Bachelor’s
from Ithaca College and an MBA
from Canisius College.
Emily Chee
Emily is regional marketing
manager at The Gap
Partnership, spearheading the
marketing mix in the EMEA
region. With eight years
of experience in consumer
products, she is a seasoned
marketer with a strong passion
in building brands. Emily holds
a degree in economics from the
University of Pittsburgh.
Terence Ong
Terence is a successful FMCG
professional with extensive
experience in marketing and sales.
As Managing Director of Pernod
Ricard Taiwan, he drives profitable
growth through innovation
and team development, while
prioritizing excellent customer
experiences. Terence is also an
expert in commercial negotiations
and has a strong business acumen.
Alexander Kröller
Alex is torn between passions:
helping learners to reach their
potential in his career as scientist
and Computer Science professor,
and later innovating technology
for TomTom. Today he innovates
for The Gap Partnership, looking
for novel ways to improve client
negotiations. Alex holds a Ph. D.,
in Mathematics and an EMBA.
Andri Neocleous
Andri leads the “Ready to Drink”
category at Huel, a company
focused on providing nutritionally
convenient food, and has
successfully executed numerous
product launches within the
category. Andri holds a degree in
Nutrition and Food Science from
the University of Leeds and is
also a Registered Associate
Nutritionist (ANutr).
Carl Marr III
Carl joined The Gap Partnership in
2021 as a Negotiation Consultant
in the U.S., specializing in
maximizing client profitability. Carl
takes great pride in developing skills
and capability, while supporting
people to become more effective
and successful negotiators. He is
passionate about taking people
on the negotiation journey!
3

INSIDE
MY HEAD
NICKY SPARSHOTT
GLOBAL CHIEF OF TRANSFORMATION AND FORMER CEO OF UNILEVER
ANZ, TALKS CANDIDLY ABOUT LEADERSHIP, NEGOTIATION LEARNINGS,
AND THE POWER OF DREAMING BIG, AIMING HIGH AND BEING YOURSELF.
How did you make it to where
you are today?
An openness to new opportunities
and embracing the fear of a challenge
with the support of people I love when
things aren’t going to plan. Above all,
holding things lightly but embracing
the moment passionately.
What’s the best thing about your role?
Partnering with people from all walks
of life, with different perspectives and
super-powers, to bring a vision to life
and move from intent to impact.
What makes a good leader?
Leadership is about impact, not about
title. It’s about inspiring a vision,
galvanizing followership, and obsessing
about doing what you say you will. I
think a combination of excellence and
humility, matched with a healthy dose
of humanity and fun, go a long way to
making extraordinary things happen!
Is negotiation important in
your career?
Negotiation is about finding that sweet
spot where everyone finds value in the
outcome. Finding mutually beneficial
outcomes is what makes the world
go around, in business, in families,
in friendships and in love.
Any negotiation disasters
along the way?
I had a situation where we were
negotiating with a team who were
based overseas. When we finally met
face-to-face, they kept defaulting and
directing the conversation to the men
in the room, our CFO and COO, and
asking me to literally ‘pour more tea’!
I tried to park it for a bit, bigger
prize and all that, but as the meeting
progressed I realized that I didn’t want
to work with people with such archaic
values around the role of women in
business. So midway through the
negotiation, I pulled stumps and
we left. We probably missed out on
a good business opportunity but it
would have been a terrible partnership,
so I’ve no regrets.
How about when you negotiate
outside of work?
Collaboration is way more effective
than compromise. It may take a little
longer but the payoff is more satisfying
and enduring for all involved. Oh, and
kids are ready born negotiators!
Listen now on our podcast
To hear from more inspirational leaders like
Nicky, search The Negotiation Society on
your favorite podcast platform, or access
via www.thenegotiationsociety.com
What are the most important
lessons you’ve learned as a leader
and negotiator?
Be bold, be fair, be clear, be open,
be generous, be human.
What advice would you give to other
people with similar aspirations?
Don’t be afraid to dream big, work hard,
give generously and ask for help when
you need it. Above all, bring your own
personality and imprint to what you do.
There will be plenty of people who will
tell you what you should or should not
do and what has and what hasn’t been
done before. But only you know what
is possible when you are in the driving
seat. Back yourself. TNS
4

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
I, NEGOTIATOR
W
hen OpenAI made ChatGPT publicly
available in November 2022, it heralded a new
era of artificial intelligence. It could produce
work previously assumed required a human
mind. Within weeks of ChatGPTs launch, millions had
signed up and LinkedIn filled up with examples, user guides,
and warnings against believing large language models have
any notion of factual correctness.
Today there is an abundance of easy-to-use AI
companions for all kinds of creative tasks, delivering text,
audio, video, presentations, and conversation. It might feel as
if you are becoming redundant. But your job is safe for now.
As Bill Gates pointed
out, “People often
overestimate what will
happen in the next two
years and underestimate
what will happen in ten.”
These AI tools did not
appear out of nowhere.
Although they mark the
first generation to attract
universal attention, they
are the result of 60 years of research and development, and
ten years of exponential growth after seminal breakthroughs
in deep learning.
These off-the-shelf solutions are just a preview of more
advanced tools to follow, including customized AIs. Already
today, lower-quality models can be built for under $10,000.
That generation of AI does have the potential to disrupt
jobs for knowledge workers, with consequences for people,
processes, and whole organizations.
So, what should you do? Embrace it! Preparation is 90%
of negotiation, and AI tools offer great support in this crucial
phase. Use off-the-shelf generative AIs to brainstorm your
strategy and provide it with details about your counterparty.
Ask it questions. What unexpected variables might they
introduce? How could they derail the negotiations? What
motives and drivers could they have? What is a typical, or
What do the remarkable recent advances
in generative AI mean for negotiators now,
and in the future? Alex Kröller reports.
atypical, way negotiations could play out in this situation?
What unusual concessions could you trade-in for what you
really need? Even if the results don’t surprise you, you can
check in milliseconds whether you have omitted anything.
Custom AIs can predict outcomes, analyze trades, or
estimate if the other party’s cost model and breakpoints
already exist. You might, unknowingly, already negotiate
against an AI. But no tools exist to analyze experiences and
data points you only keep in your head. When AI negotiation
tools hit the market, you will be asked, “Where is your data
stored?” and, “How long a history have you retained?”. Data
scientist Clive Humby’s statement, “Data is the new oil” was
never more accurate than
today. Now is the time
to establish processes
“ Preparation is ninety percent of
negotiation and AI tools offer great
support in this crucial phase.
to remember negotiation
strategies, variables, offers,
and counteroffers in
computer-usable formats.
For negotiating
organizations, invest in
a data and AI strategy
now, as this is the eve of
the next wave of smart, specialized AI tools for negotiations.
Your strategy should include training negotiators in new
tools and ways of working. Find those eager to employ
technology and develop them. Be proactive about data
literacy and tool usage, even when internal business cases
are a bit vague. Just as with the digital revolution, there will
come a point where employing AI in negotiation becomes
the norm, and organizations will split into those with the
capability, and those playing catchup.
Is the outlook bleak? No, not at all. Negotiations will
still happen between businesses, and great negotiators
will still minimize money left on the table. Only their tools
will change. In the meantime, use AI to make your work
life a little easier. Let it write that offer for you and prepare
that negotiation strategy. And get ready to ride this wave
to higher productivity and smarter tools. TNS
5

Follow
the leaders
Leadership is a well-worn concept of the modern
commercial times in which we live. Anyone with
aspirations to rise through the corporate ranks can
browse shelves full of books by self-help authors and
modern-day gurus offering advice on what it means and what
it takes to lead effectively. If some of these books were to be
believed, there is a one-size-fits-all recipe for great leadership
– although of course this recipe varies between writers. But
as with most things, the truth is not this straightforward,
nor this definitive. A bit like good negotiation, effective
leadership can assume multiple forms, approaches,
personalities, and styles.
At The Gap Partnership, we partner with some of the
most effective and forward facing leaders working today.
We decided to ask a selection of them for their take on
leadership and what it means to them.
We have been fascinated and inspired by what they have
told us. While there are, naturally, variations between the
stories they have told us, there are also commonalities. These
are also traits which are present in every great negotiator:
focus, a keen work ethic, a willingness to try and also fail,
and above all a profound sense that they are only as good
as their teams around them.
6

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Brian
Ripley
Vice President, Head of
Business Development,
PepsiCo
"I value openness
and share my own
mistakes to help
build trust."
I have always had a passion
for helping others. On a
professional level, that led me
to adopt a servant leadership
style. My earliest experience
with leadership: a program called
“Athletes in service to America”
which paired former college
athletes with underprivileged
youth for mentorship, played a
big role in how I learned to lead.
Years later, I’ve evolved my
passion for helping people to
providing direction and strategy
that supports colleagues as
they strive for personal and
professional goals. As a leader,
I value openness and share my
own mistakes to help build trust.
Ultimately, I want to encourage,
enthuse, and develop, while rolling
my sleeves up to lead by example.
I also think there’s a better way to
do almost everything, and I enjoy
inventing new and impactful ways
of accomplishing tasks.
My philosophy on leadership
can be distilled into a five-point
checklist that I hold myself
accountable for. Great leaders
encourage debate and view
disagreement as healthy, as it
leads to the best solution. They
listen and absorb information
before forming a perspective.
They understand that each
employee is different and flex
their style to inspire the best in
their people. They hire people
smarter than them and build a
bench of successors. And finally,
they proactively seek feedback
on themselves, their team, and
their organization.
7

Kate
Kasch
Vice President of Sales,
GoodPop
"My success isn’t down
to muting or taming
my personality."
At the start of my career I got a
lot of feedback about how to fit in
better. I was colorful, loud, made
some pretty awkward jokes, and
even called my first boss ‘dude’!
While I had some maturing
to do, my success isn’t down to
muting or taming my personality.
Instead it’s come from bringing
my personality to work and
opening myself up to my peers,
teams, leaders, and customers –
letting them see the real me.
In a stressful business
environment, we can only
accomplish our goals by trusting
each other. I trust my team and
they trust me. Trust is about
authenticity and honesty. I can’t
put on a face or pretend to be
better or smarter than I am.
When required, I can be formal,
polished or even tough, and when
appropriate I am insecure, casual,
and vulnerable, showing the
‘real’ me that’s honest about my
mistakes, and that still has lots to
learn. When I do this, my team
know they can be themselves too:
confident, nervous, emotional,
tough, insecure, or funny. Their
effort goes into work, not into
being a better ‘fit’.
When we know and trust each
other, we can generate amazing
results, and still have energy left
for a good laugh.
8

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Terence Ong
Managing Director,
Pernod Ricard Taiwan
"Through negotiation, I have
honed my leadership skills and
negotiated my way to the top."
My leadership journey began at Seagram Malaysia,
where I started my career in the marketing team.
Over time, I rose through the ranks and held several
directorial positions at Pernod Ricard in Malaysia and
China, including marketing director, brand director, and
sales and marketing director. These experiences paved
the way for my appointment as managing director of
Pernod Ricard Malaysia and, later, Taiwan in 2016.
Throughout my leadership journey, negotiation
has been a crucial aspect that has taught me the
importance of planning and understanding what I want
to achieve. As a marketing rookie, I recognized the
need to plan my career path and acquire the necessary
negotiation skills to succeed. I took proactive steps such
as requesting the marketing director job description
from HR, analyzing it thoroughly, identifying my skill
gaps, and establishing milestones to achieve my longterm
career goal. Through negotiation, I have honed my
leadership skills and negotiated my way to the top. These
actions indicate my inherent desire to become a leader.
I encourage everyone to start developing their
negotiation capabilities as leadership abilities are
developed and nurtured over time. Many individuals
overlook the significance of negotiation, limiting their
opportunities for career advancement.
John Higgs
Partner SaaS Sales,
The Gap Partnership
"I took my first leadership
role as an infantry officer
leading 30 soldiers."
After university I attended
The Royal Military Academy
Sandhurst, and upon graduation
I took my first leadership role
as an infantry officer leading
30 soldiers on operations. The
motto of the academy is “Serve to
Lead”, and my interpretation of
this, which has been a reference
point throughout my career, is
that leadership is a privilege, and
the responsibility of a leader is
to nurture and support others
in pursuit of a common goal.
Another key lesson from the
military that has helped me lead
through times of uncertainty is
the concept of mission command:
articulating your goals with clarity
and simplicity, communicating
these effectively through all
levels of an organization, and
empowering people to make
decisions independently and
with confidence in line with
the mission.
The benefit of having a
demanding leadership role at
a young age is that I learnt very
quickly that while leaders cannot
and should not be expected to
have all the answers, they must be
prepared to be accountable for the
decisions they make. My advice to
any aspiring leader is to be curious,
seek support from those around
you and don’t be afraid to say you
don’t know. If you are focused on
serving to lead and have clarity on
your mission, you will find support
from those around you, even when
you get it wrong.
9

Jane
Shepherdson
Chair, My Wardrobe HQ
Director, The London Fashion Fund
"If the leader quite
obviously believes
in the team and the
vision, then it’s a
compelling mix."
I knew from an early age that
I wanted to do something in the
fashion world, but I also knew
that I was not talented enough
to become a designer. I joined
Topshop as a graduate trainee
after college and worked my way
up through buying, eventually
becoming brand director 13 years
later. I knew what every function
did, why they did it, and who was
doing it, and I also knew what
‘good’ looked like, having traveled
extensively to check out retail
concepts around the world. I saw
the best of Manhattan’s boutiques,
Berlin’s concept stores, Rio’s
beach culture, and anything and
everything that was exciting and
new. I also knew who I wanted in
the team to turn Topshop into an
iconic global brand. I was aware of
my own limitations and knew that
without hugely talented people
working with me, we couldn’t
achieve success.
More than anything else, I had
the passion and enthusiasm to
motivate and excite this brilliant
team into creating something
very special. If the leader quite
obviously believes in the team and
the vision, then it’s a compelling
mix. My advice for other leaders
has to be, never feel threatened
by the brilliance of others, only
consider what more could be
achieved by working with them.
10

Andreas
Windler
General Manager,
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland,
Jacobs Douwe Egberts Professional
"Negotiation skills can greatly
benefit leaders in managing
relationships effectively."
Leadership has always been a
natural skill for me, honed through
trial and error, learning from
mistakes, and practicing in school,
university, and private activities.
My advice for leadership is to be
authentic and manage oneself
well. Strive to be the best version
of yourself and surround yourself
with a trusted team that provides
honest feedback. Remember, as a
leader, everything you do matters,
so manage the ‘what’ and the
‘how’ effectively. Most strategies
fail, not because they are wrong,
but because the soft element of
execution, the ‘how,’ falls short;
so lead by example, make a solid
plan, and communicate with your
team to bring them on board.
I also believe that strong
negotiation skills are essential for
leaders. I even encourage my children
to engage in sales activities to gain
experience. Life is essentially a
negotiation, as we constantly interact
with others, understand their needs,
and find common ground with our
expectations. Negotiation skills can
greatly benefit leaders in managing
relationships effectively, resolving
conflicts, and achieving successful
outcomes in various situations.
With these insights, I strive to be
an authentic leader, manage myself
effectively, and hone my negotiation
skills to navigate the complexities
of leadership and achieve success. TNS
11

What is negotiation
consulting anyway?
Anna Winters
and Lucia
Roccatagliata
demystify the
wonderful world
of negotiation
consulting.
In a time of global disruption,
effective negotiation is essential for
success. At The Gap Partnership,
we support organizations across
the world to help them successfully
negotiate in many different situations.
One way we do this is through
negotiation consulting, which can be
a powerful investment to equip teams
with what they need to achieve the
best outcome. This could be as
straightforward as supporting a critical
negotiation or as complex as developing
an organization’s negotiation culture.
But what exactly is negotiation
consulting? How does it work? What
can it achieve? And who does it
help? As members of TGP’s global
negotiation consulting team, these are
questions we are frequently asked. So
we wanted the opportunity to bring
to life the niche but extraordinary
discipline of negotiation consulting,
including the incredible results we
see it deliver week in, week out.
12
FIVE COMMON ISSUES
IN NEGOTIATION
We consult across a wide range of
industries, clients, and departments,
each facing individual challenges in
their negotiations, which makes our
work unique and rewarding. Yet even
with this diversity, there is remarkable
commonality in the challenges our
clients face.
TIME
Time pressure can be yours, theirs
or shared. In our experience, around
74% of all negotiation teams start
planning too late. This places
additional pressure on teams as a
result. And, if you rush negotiation
planning, the
negotiation itself often
becomes longer and
more complex, and
fails to realize valuecreation
opportunities.
ALIGNMENT
Aligning upfront on
decisions empowers
the negotiation
team and ensures
consistency and
solidarity throughout the organization.
Failure to align risks decision-makers
moving the goalposts during the
negotiation, or making ad hoc decisions
and unplanned moves when pressure
is at its highest.
TACTICS WITHOUT
STRATEGY
All too frequently,
planning is limited
to moves and
proposals without
a thought to what
triggers that move (the what, when
or why). A strategic negotiation
framework is essential to enable you
to stay in charge of the negotiation
and move with rationale.
FIT FOR EXECUTION
Taking time to role play
proposals, prepare
for meetings, and
plan scenarios and
behaviors will avoid
the negotiation team
going ‘off script’. It also
helps ensure your plan’s integrity,
supported by regular internal
touchpoints to maintain alignment.
REVIEW
In our experience,
fewer than 10% of
negotiations are
reviewed. When they
are, it’s often limited
to tangible outcomes
and fails to capture
the learnings of what went well, what
didn’t, and what the other party did.
Capturing these learnings builds
corporate knowledge and informs
the planning of your next negotiation.

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
CPG
WHO WE WORK WITH
Within the last year,
we have worked with clients
from a range of disciplines
and sectors.
Retail &
Wholesale
Procurement
Healthcare &
Pharmaceuticals
Governments
Transport
Infrastructure
Industrial &
Manufacturing
SCOPING
STRATEGY
TACTICS
HOW DOES NEGOTIATION
CONSULTING ACTUALLY WORK?
Following project mapping and
detailed discovery sessions, we begin
with scoping joint expectations and
align on objectives.
Based on these outputs, we build
robust topline and contingency
strategies that prepare our clients for
their unique negotiation challenges.
This covers expected issues as well as
unforeseen obstacles that could arise.
In the tactical phase, we determine
the details, such as behavioral
considerations or timings.
During execution, we continue to
support each negotiation and help our
clients avoid or mitigate challenges
they encounter.
Finally, we review, to assess the
negotiation and understand learnings
for future projects.
HOW WE MEASURE SUCCESS
After the conclusion of every
consulting project, we ask our clients
how they would assess its impact so
we can continue to learn and build
best practice.
98%
of clients say our negotiation
consulting met or exceeded their
business objectives.
95%
of our clients are satisfied or very
satisfied with the work completed
by The Gap Partnership.
To find out more about negotiation
consulting and what it can deliver to
your business, please get in touch at
contact@thegappartnership.com TNS
How did The Gap Partnership help you with this project / negotiation?
Increasing confidence 67%
EXECUTION
Making the complex simple
Creative alternatives / lateral thinking
28%
49%
Providing tools and processes
72%
Providing structure and methodology
100%
Maximizing value / return on investment
41%
REVIEW
Stakeholder management
56%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
13

Negotiating in
today’s world
RESEARCH
REPORT
Kelly Harborne shares some significant findings from a major new study into the
biggest commercial trends of our time, along with the implications for negotiators.
The greatest skill any negotiator
can nurture is curiosity. This
means asking thoughtful,
timely questions and doing
your research to understand the
drivers and interests that lie behind
your counterparty’s position.
With that in mind, we decided to
do some of the leg work for you. In
February 2023, The Gap Partnership
commissioned YouGov to survey
800 decision-makers operating in
businesses with a turnover of at
least £20 million. The objective was
to understand how the deals we
make today are being influenced
by the macro trends of the 2020s.
Professionals from a variety of roles
and sectors, and based in the U.S.,
Australia, Brazil, France, Germany,
Mexico, Singapore, and the U.K.,
shared their responses to questions
covering the hottest commercial topics
of our time.
This article takes a look at some of
the key findings and what they might
mean for you. As you read the results,
ask yourself, does this resonate with
you? What about your counterparts?
How exposed or well-placed is their
operation in the context of these
trends, and how will it impact their
approach when negotiating with you?
Renegotiating through change
The Northern Ireland protocol, which refines how
goods will flow in and out of the E.U. post-Brexit, was
concluded in the 25th anniversary year of the Good
Friday agreement, a political deal designed to bring
an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland
which led to the longest period of Anglo-Irish peace
in living memory.
The protocol is a brilliant illustration of how the
past impacts our deals today. It also connects to a
concern 54% of our respondents reported: the impact
of supply chain issues. Effective supply chains rely on
predictability, so whether it’s shifting borders, changing
legislation and paperwork, a pandemic,
or a world shortage of shipping containers
and vessels, havoc has been wreaked
throughout the world.
The least satisfaction for the
protection their negotiated
agreements provide them against
these risks was reported in Singapore,
and the most in Australia. 48% of our
respondents have considered alternative
suppliers to try and decrease their
exposure to supply chain risk. How robust
would your deals appear if they considered
you as a partner?
Renegotiating on rising prices
1998 saw the $73.7 billion buyout of Mobil by Exxon
creating (at the time) the second-largest company in
revenue. Now ranked 12th in the world, their revenues
fall well below the likes of China Natural Petroleum
Corporation who, incidentally, signed a 30-year deal
with Gazprom in February 2022, just three weeks before
Russia invaded Ukraine, revolutionizing the oil and gas
sector and so, the cost of just about everything.
Seeking supply from fewer sources, the shifting
demand of the E.U., U.K. and U.S. pushed prices to
$135 a barrel last year. We felt it at the pumps and
in manufacturing costs, and our respondents felt it
in the deals they negotiated.
On average, our respondents have renegotiated
existing contracts due to increased cost prices five times
in the last three years, a trend obvious in our work with
the CPG sector where landing price increases multiple
times in one financial year has become increasingly
the norm.
36% of respondents renegotiated 4–6 times during
that period – most frequently in the legal sector and least
frequently in real estate. Opec+ announced in April 2023
they are decreasing oil production again, so this volatility
and the need for renegotiation isn’t going away.
With inflation increasing at pace around the world,
monetary bodies have sought to stem the tolerance
for price hikes by making the cost of
borrowing money more expensive
through increased interest rates.
Like many of our clients, for
our respondents this made
it more likely for them
to renegotiate payment
terms with 45% of
them doing this
in response.
14

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Sustainability
1998 is also the year that climate change deniers say
global warming stopped, and with natural variability and
cooling events (volcano eruptions for example) there was
indeed a peak that year in the annual increase of the
earth’s average surface temperature that wouldn’t be
matched until 2002.
Sadly, those increases are positively cool compared
to now. These changes lead to more extreme weather
and poorer air quality, and are already contributing to
a significant loss of life. Therefore, it comes as little
surprise that more than 36% of respondents confirm
they spent extensive time focused on sustainability in
their negotiations, with 42% reporting that they view
sustainability as being important in the deals they do.
There was a marked difference across markets. 26% of
respondents in Germany view it an important feature of
their negotiations versus 69% in Australia. This is perhaps
unsurprising given Australia’s recent experience with
severe drought and devastating bushfires, but it underlines
the importance of understanding the global impact of
these issues and how it might influence priorities when
negotiating with international partners.
India’s ban on wheat exports in 2022 to secure domestic
supply in the face of the Ukraine war, a severe heatwave
(attributed by The Royal Meteorological Society to Arctic
warming) and soaring domestic prices demonstrates
perfectly how each of the macro trends are intertwined
and have far reaching consequences.
So, what’s holding us back in negotiating more
environmentally friendly deals? To unlock sustainable
working practices, organizations must remove common
roadblocks, and our respondents reported these to be a lack
of training for teams as to how to trade and understand
sustainability in tangible terms. It’s vital that organizations
provide clarity on this approach.
IMAGE CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Virtual negotiation
2020 held us captive via Zoom and Microsoft Teams
and you might expect we’d be clamoring to spend more
time in airport lounges or in the car.
Perhaps not. 56% of our respondents confirmed that
at least half of their negotiations are conducted virtually,
and it’s not surprising that markets like the U.S., Mexico
and Australia returned the strongest results in favor of
virtual given their size.
But the trend was true in each market represented
in the sample, including Singapore. And in fact 42%
of respondents told us they found virtual negotiation
not only more time and cost effective but (perhaps
counterintuitively) also providing greater access to
counterparties (to meet more frequently and to explore
issues more thoroughly and efficiently) and to their
internal team for those important sidebars.
There is of course greater opportunity to fact
check your counterparty’s position by more readily
accessing whatever spreadsheets or data points you
might happen to have open on your desktop. Less than
two decades ago in 1998, Google Inc. was founded.
How would we have ever been able to do the type of
desk preparation for our negotiations that we do now
without it.
Being on-site means you pick up all sorts of other
data, not to mention the body language cues we rely
on to get a better read of the room. As one respondent
said, “Nothing inspires trust” like meeting face-to-face.
55% of those we heard from confirmed they perceive
their negotiations to have become more competitive,
although the trend is arguably compounded by each of
the issues we’ve explored here. If, like 66% of the people
we spoke to, you think that collaborative negotiations
are more effective, you will consider the careful
management of each form of communication to be
crucial to the planning of your discussions via either
medium. Three in five of respondents thought they
might benefit from some additional training in
managing virtual negotiations more effectively.
Each of these trends is likely to have an impact
on our deals for the foreseeable future.
If you’d like to ensure the deals you
make today help you negotiate
the challenges of the future,
contact The Gap
Partnership for more
information on how
we’re already helping
our clients navigate
these challenges. TNS
15

Standing tall on
the world stage
Proud Kiwi Nick Harvey explores the intriguing phenomenon of New Zealand’s
political, sporting and commercial successes that belies its size, and finds
comparisons with The Gap Partnership’s own Pacific story.
In a world where solving problems
takes more partners than ever
before, New Zealand punches
way above its weight in every
sector of challenge in the world today.”
This is how the then U.S. Secretary of
State, Hillary Clinton, described New
Zealand in 2010 shortly after signing
an agreement that would bring the two
countries closer together.
Small but mighty
This quote encapsulates a truth that
New Zealand, while small in size, has
an influential presence on the world
stage, particularly when it comes to
the intersection of climate and trade.
New Zealand is an unlikely global
powerhouse and a symbol for how the
small ‘David’ can take on the ‘Goliaths’
of the world. It has, to borrow Clinton’s
phrase, punched above its weight
through membership of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and
the brokering of numerous free
trade agreements, both bilateral
and multilateral.
First among equals
Outside of commerce, New Zealand
is famous for many firsts. It was the
first country to give women the vote
in 1893. Nuclear physicist Ernest
Rutherford first split the atom in
1919 and Sir Edmund Hillary
was the first to
climb Mount Everest in 1953.
For a country with a population of
less than five million, New Zealand
has demonstrated disproportionate
prowess on the sporting stage. It
boasts many Olympic champions and
bagged 20 gold medals in Beijing in
2022, placing it second on the medals
per capita list. It’s also the home of
the America’s Cup winning team.
Born free
What accounts for such impressive
sporting success? One answer is, the
mindset of New Zealand’s society.
As Dan Carter from the 2019 World
Cup winning rugby team explained,
“You want to do the history proud,
the public proud, and you make sure
you do everything you possibly can for
that little country down at the bottom
of the world.” As New Zealand is a
relatively new nation, it has never really
been locked into any set ideas about its
identity. That gave a kind of freedom to
develop one. And, since the land mass
is a long way from everywhere, access
to resources is challenging. As a result,
the nation has needed to be adaptable,
resourceful, and egalitarian: values that
have proved advantageous in sport
and beyond.
Start local,
grow global
Indeed, when I took over setting up
The Gap Partnership in the Pacific ten
years ago, we were essentially a local
business with just a few global clients
a long way from anywhere. But, we
built on the same set of values and like
the All Blacks, made some strategic
choices about how to win – which
included decisions around what we
did not want to do. A decade later,
we have created a very strong business
and brand, thanks largely to the
value and commitment we placed on
nurturing our business relationships.
With year-on-year double-digit
growth, we are now one of the best
16

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
IMAGE CREDIT: ROOK76/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
performing sub-regions. Our business
is the trusted partner for over 150
leading businesses in New Zealand
and Australia, which makes me
very proud.
Paul Foster MD of Mauri, spoke
about us to the AGFC in a short
film in 2019. He described us as
specialists that do the core negotiation
development work with the team,
advanced strategic planning and
bringing an external lens into the
complex or higher value deals. For me,
the word ‘strategic’ is interesting when
it comes to negotiation. I hear business
leaders say all the time, “We need to be
more strategic”, and I often ask what it
actually means to them. In negotiation,
being strategic is about having a
winning aspiration and a defined plan,
with clear choices around where to play
and how to win. And the effort pays
off; for every client we have helped
to design a clear negotiation plan
with strategic thinking and implement
it in the appropriate way, we have
a 98.9% success rate of achieving
the objectives set out.
The spice of life
Back to sports again. Historically,
New Zealand’s athletes and sports
people, both men and women, have
consistently been at the top of the
world. We have really built a sense of
who we are around sport. Indeed, our
sporting wins have spawned a culture
that encourages it to be played as far
and as widely as possible. Specialization,
choosing to focus on just one sport,
is generally discouraged, and schools
offer students a range of activities.
In fact, there is substantial evidence
from recent years demonstrating the
importance of variety. I have found
the same parallel with the consultants
we bring in. Job variety enables them
to quickly develop their skill sets and
stimulation (workshop delivery, sales,
consulting and building the business).
Determination is another factor
that sets New Zealanders apart, again
borne from our ‘small nation’ mindset.
I think it’s like being the youngest kid
in the family or the smallest kid in the
classroom; you will fight twice as hard
to get what you want because you know
that you need a sense of determination
to get past that sense of being
the underdog.
This is one of the qualities I talk
to our clients about. Sure, they may
be the largest in their sectors, but acting
like an underdog keeps you hungry.
The Gap Partnership leads by example
on this front; when the business
started doing well, we got hungrier,
which kept us both humble, but still
high performing.
Standing tall
Of course, it’s important to respect
who you are, who you’re playing, what
business deal you are in, and where
you’re going. Now that New Zealand
has started to come out from under
the rock, as an underdog trying to
punch above our weight, there’s a shift
in our psyche to say, “We can stand
tall.” Again, for me, I see The Gap
Partnership’s Pacific office as one of the
cornerstones of the APAC region, that
is a key part of the global business, able
to bring many new ideas and clients to
deliver our vision of leading the world
in negotiation.
I believe that the talent, ideas and
innovation that comes out of New
Zealand and Australia is world-class.
As a result, both countries stand tall on
the world stage, a sentiment echoed by
many of our clients with their teams
in the global arena. In my experience,
Kiwis and Aussies always perform
well and get an optimal outcome in
any negotiation.
This deep-rooted notion of ‘standing
tall when small’ means it is possible to
negotiate an optimal outcome when
you are small. While many focus on the
transactional and tactical elements at
the negotiation table, as Sun Tzu said,
“Every battle is won before it is fought.”
Applied to negotiation, this
is about controlling the
“setup” to ensure success.
This is especially critical to
the small player, who needs
to reshape the deal, the scope, and the
sequence before the parties even get to
the negotiation table, always with the
right no-deal options simmering away
in the back of their heads. To achieve
an optimal outcome, they must ensure
the conditions to negotiate are healthy.
This means truly understanding the
value-equation, the barriers to success,
and creating a beneficial platform
to negotiate.
A success story
I will end on a fine example of the
“David vs Goliath” or standing tall
mindset. I worked on a deal with a
New Zealand business negotiating with
a much bigger offshore partner. In our
discovery and deal-scoping sessions, it
was clear they would just accept what
they were offered, as they wanted out
and felt they lacked any power. We
changed that view by getting to the
central reasons for why the negotiation
was taking place through the eyes of
all parties. Through smart stakeholder
mapping and communication planning,
we sequenced the conversations before
we got to the table to set the conditions
to negotiate in our favor. We created,
signaled and enhanced our BATNA
(best alternative to the negotiating
agreement) which weakened the
counterparty’s position and resolve.
We did this by sourcing information
that meant that the platform to
negotiate was designed by us. We
also gained clarity on our leverage
and influence. It was an approach
that paid significant dividends.
KIA KAHA, KIA MAIA, KIA
MANAWANUI. TNS
17

Freddy Burgess shares a special report that spotlights best-in-class
negotiators of the future, and why they are tipped for the top.
In the world of commerce,
negotiation is a skill that separates
the best from the rest. It requires a
nuanced blend of strategic thinking,
exceptional communication, and the
ability to build strong relationships
with stakeholders. And as the business
landscape becomes increasingly
complex, the importance of negotiation
is only set to grow.
Who will be leading these critical
deals of the future? We decided to find
out by asking clients and partners to
nominate colleagues under the age of
30 who are consistently demonstrating
potential to become future stars of the
commercial world. They come from a
range of regions, roles and industries,
but what links them is a recognition that
negotiation is a critical skill in today’s
commercial landscape.
Lisa Dorbandt
Key Account Manager at Mondelez, Austria
Age: 29
Tenure: Four Years
I enjoy learning and having the opportunity to grow, and I especially like working in a
team creating new solutions. Working collaboratively allows me to bring my strengths to the
table, learn from different perspectives, and achieve more together. One of my most significant
contributions was negotiating annual trade agreements. I focused on building strong relationships
with our business partner, understanding their perspectives and priorities, and identifying areas where
we could find common ground. I also brought a creative approach to the negotiation, proposing innovative
solutions that helped us reach an agreement that was financially beneficial and sustainable for both partners.
My top negotiation tip: Understand your partner’s needs and pressures. Ask questions and listen like
a detective to what’s behind the answers, then build your offers on this.
Claire Dubar
Buyer at Kingfisher, France
Age: 28
Tenure: Four Years
I have a passion for the product I work with and know every intricate detail about it.
Meeting my customers’ needs and getting it right every time is very important to me. Ensuring
I have explored every avenue and identified every opportunity for growth is key. For instance,
during a recent tender where the main aim was to identify savings, I asked questions that I didn’t
believe I would get the answer to, but amazingly I did! Detail and specifics that hadn’t ever been shared
before were discussed. This was a huge learning for me. You don’t know what your partners will or won’t share
until you ask the right questions, so don’t be afraid to do so! I believe my age is an advantage in my role as
a buyer, as I find people with more experience prepare less and perhaps try and wing it more.
My top negotiation tip: Be the most prepared person in the room. Set aside time to plan, as it will be
critical to you achieving the best outcome.
18

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Joana Nobre
Senior Sales Manager at The Gap Partnership, U.K.
Age: 26
Tenure: Two Years
My driver is to play a part in the success of the people around me, motivating my team and helping them
reach their full potential. I am also passionate about building trusted partnerships with our clients, identifying
their challenges and supporting them with solutions to ensure the best outcome for them.
A recent career highlight for me has been the implementation of our new project management
systems, which has been very rewarding. Another memorable project was helping to organize last
year’s summer party for the EMEA team, which more than 150 colleagues from across Europe
attended. Seeing the team come together to celebrate and have fun was an incredible moment.
My top negotiation tip: Planning should be 90% of every negotiation. The better prepared
you are, the more successful you will be!
Barney Bowen
Buying Manager at Tesco, U.K.
Age: 28
Tenure: Nine Years
Client centricity sits at the heart of all the decisions I make and by putting the customer first, I know I am
doing the right thing by them and for the business. I enjoy seeing my colleagues grow, and my own personal
experience of coaching has taught me how crucial learning and development is to achieving success.
A recent accomplishment has been my ongoing work to evolve supplier partnerships, ensuring our
partnerships remain sustainable and consistent, as well as managing difficult conversations with
key stakeholders. I am learning to be a pragmatist!
My top negotiation tip: Enter all conversations with an open mind and include
as many variables as you can to help you find the most creative and value-generative
solution for the situation.
Andri Neocleous
Junior New Product Development Manager at Huel, U.K.
Age: 26
Tenure: Three Years
Every day I strive to be a better version of me, showing up to work as my most authentic self. I thrive on
problem solving, driving change, and bringing to life our vision to remain the world’s number one nutritionally
complete food brand. Client centricity is an integral part of my role, making sure our customers are satisfied and
raising awareness of the plethora of exciting launches.
Leading the development of four new flavors for the Ready-to-Drink category was especially
exciting for me because the “Iced Coffee Caramel” range won a gold award at the 2022 “lunch!
Inspiring Innovation Challenge” show. Seeing a product I developed gaining such incredible
recognition and all the teams’ hard work come to fruition was a very proud moment.
My top negotiation tip: Never underestimate the power of being a good listener,
as empathy is key to building relationships and a great tool for enhancing connections.
These rising stars have already made a significant
impact in the commercial world, and although their
backgrounds and experiences vary, they all share a
common set of attributes that have helped them
achieve success in their negotiations: a strategic
mindset, excellent communication skills, the ability
to build relationships with stakeholders, and a
dedication to continuous learning and improvement.
Their achievements demonstrate that negotiation
is a skill that can be honed and developed with
practice and dedication. Whether you’re just starting
your career or are a seasoned professional looking
to improve your negotiation skills, these emerging
leaders offer valuable insights into the mindset
and tactics needed to succeed in today’s
competitive marketplace.
As the business world continues to evolve,
negotiation will remain the critical skill for anyone
looking to drive results and achieve their goals.
Here’s to the future! TNS
19

THE
BLOSSOMING
OF
ANU
20

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Alistair White meets Anu Mishra Kawdiya, Regional Head of Sales
for APAC at The Gap Partnership, and finds that growth is a rich
theme that permeates her life both personally and professionally.
Have you read the classic children’s
book, (or seen either of the two film
adaptations), “The Secret Garden” by
Frances Hodgson Burnett? If not, I
can recommend you do. It’s a beautiful tale full
of wise life lessons. The plot concerns a girl who
discovers a magical garden at her uncle’s house.
As she becomes more and more entranced with
her new find, tending to the garden and helping it
bloom and flourish, she finds herself on her own
journey of self-development and personal growth.
I was reminded of this story during my
interview with Anu Mishra Kawdiya. Early in our
chat she recounted that in 2020 she was recently
married, had relocated from her home in Hong
Kong to Singapore, and along with the rest of the
world was locked down at home due to Covid.
Looking for distraction and a pastime that could
be enjoyed at home, Anu decided to learn about
the cultivation of plants. What started as a passing
interest developed
into a consuming
passion, and
Anu now has
a substantial
collection of
plants in her
home which
she tends and
nurtures. And so
an analogy about
Anu began to take
root in my mind.
But this tale of Anu is also concerned with
her professional achievements, so let’s start at the
beginning of her career. After graduating with
a degree in Economics and Finance, Anu was
convinced she wanted to pursue a career in the
financial services sector, but a year with a financial
services company soon persuaded her otherwise.
In March 2014 she joined the Hong Kong office
of The Gap Partnership as a business development
executive and has now risen to the position of
regional head of sales for the APAC region,
leading a team of three.
She reflects on her journey. “In the early days,
I did everything: new business acquisition, client
management, booking workshops, organizing
logistics, and scheduling meetings for consultants.
It gave me not just a real understanding of
how the business works, but it also provided a
foundation from which to, eventually, move into
full-time sales leadership.”
Anu’s business development skills were further
tested and honed during the pandemic. “When
Covid hit, it was one workshop cancellation after
another. I was literally watching our business, my
business, crumble away before my eyes. That was
a tough time, but in retrospect also a good time,
because we had to fight for our survival. I had
colleagues who immediately pivoted to working
on creating digital and virtual versions of our
proposition, and they were relying on people like
me to sell these to our clients. That is when I truly
discovered the joy of sales and I realized that this
is where I want to be, and it’s where I belong.”
What makes her a good salesperson? “I like
making connections with people and growing
those connections into something profitable for
both. I also think I’m a good listener, which is
important; I like
hearing people
tell their stories,
I am curious
about them. It
“ Business relationships need to
be nurtured, just like plants.
can take a while
and sometimes
I need to be
patient, which
incidentally is
not something
that comes
naturally to me.
But business relationships need to be nurtured,
just like plants.
“There is one client I talk to regularly. I know
there’s no immediate need for our services but
it is important to stay in touch. We talk about
motherhood and how it has impacted our lives,
and I know those conversations will bear fruit
some day.”
Anu has a 14 month-old daughter and I ask
how that has impacted her. “It had a big effect,”
she tells me. “When I discovered I was pregnant,
I knew I would be taking maternity leave and that
was scary for many on my team. Given that I’ve
been in the business for nine years, there was a
lot of knowledge and quick fixes that only existed
in my head, as well as client relationships that sat
solely with me. I realized I not only
21

had to recruit and upskill my team at top speed,
but I also needed to put in place a handover
and written processes so my team, and the
wider business where necessary, could step
into my shoes.”
So, is Anu very process-driven? “I am very
organized, yes, that comes naturally to me. But
while I think process is important, it isn’t allimportant.
People
“ I see my job as enabling
others to perform well,
to catalyze those around
me to perform to
their maximum.
need to
have a
point of
reference,
but I
wouldn’t
want a
slavish
adherence
to process
to stifle my team’s initiative or their ability to
think for themselves.”
Anu successfully recruited and trained a team
to run the operations and client management side
of the business before she left for four months of
maternity leave. “I thought it would be difficult,
letting go of things I used to do. But it wasn’t.
The fact I was leaving meant there was no
alternative, it just had to happen that way.”
What were the other big impacts of
motherhood? Anu smiles, a little sheepishly.
“Before our daughter was born, everything was
work, work, work. Now I have a much greater
sense of perspective. I have something else to
grow and nurture other than just my plants and
my clients, someone much more important.”
“Since I came back to work, everyone has
commented on how much more easygoing I am.
Before, when little things went wrong, I would be
up on my feet to resolve them as a priority. Now
I’m more relaxed and will assess the urgency. I
may then delegate and provide the opportunity
for my team to manage, because I don’t need
to solve everything. Generally I have more
perspective on work-related issues and have come
to realize they’re not the end of the world.”
“And since I’ve come back, I work differently.
Before, it was all about completing tasks and
ticking off to-do lists while knowing everything
that is going on, which led me to micromanage
the people on my team a bit. But I think I’m
beginning to discover the difference between
doing and leading. I see my job as enabling others
to perform well, to catalyze those around me to
perform to their maximum. Someone said to me
recently that I am a source of energy for them,
and while that surprised me a bit, it pleased me
even more.”
Does she now see herself as a role model for
others? “I had a number of role models when I
22

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
started at The Gap Partnership and I
suppose that is what I am becoming. I’m
conscious of being watched by those in
my team and also by those more senior
to me. I like the pressure that brings, and
I want to become someone that others
learn from.”
“I also listen to my colleagues more,
trying to understand their situation,
their ambitions, their skill set, rather than
just jumping straight into advice mode,
telling them what I would do in their
position. I concentrate more on creating
the opportunity for my colleagues to
blossom, just like others did for me when
I started. I see myself more as a coach.”
Not that Anu has lost any of her
ambition. “The Indian middle-class is
very achievement oriented. My parents
have always been very supportive of me
in whatever I have chosen to do, even
when I briefly contemplated a career
as an actress.” Really? “Yes, but then
reality kicked in.”
“And I’m also very ambitious. We have
just opened a small office in Japan and
we have enormous expansion potential
in China. I also really want to establish a
The Gap Partnership presence in India
and Korea. There is so much more we
can achieve.”
So, I ask – a little mischievously
because I think I know the answer –
do you see yourself more as a leader of
others, or more as a salesperson? “I think
I would have to say a leader, even though
there is still a big thrill in securing new
business. Closing new opportunities,
whether by myself or, as is more often
these days, in collaboration with others,
is a hard feeling to beat.”
I remind Anu of what she told me
about her collection of plants at home,
the different perspective she has on life
as a mother, the new ways of working she
has discovered, and the leadership role
she has now assumed. Would it be fitting
for me to describe her as a cultivator?
Anu looks skywards for a few seconds
before she lowers her eyes back to her
video camera and looks me in the eye,
“Yes, I like that.” Which brought to my
mind one of the most famous quotes
from “The Secret Garden”: “She should
never forget that first morning when her
garden began to grow.” TNS
23

how to make
brands and
influence
people
Emily Chee reports on the creator revolution that
has transformed the way brands and businesses
take their products to market, and considers the
role of negotiation in the new media landscape.
Creators, previously known
as influencers, use digital
platforms such as Facebook,
YouTube, Instagram, TikTok,
Twitter, and Twitch, to create
and publish creative content and
to interact with their audiences.
Creators monetize their work
through multiple methods, including
memberships, subscriptions,
advertising, brand partnerships,
endorsements, and other forms
of digital payment.
The creator economy is thriving
exponentially; a 2022 study from
Adobe estimated an increase in
the number of creators from 165 to
303 million over the last two years,
almost 4% of the global population!
The market itself was estimated at
$16.4 billion in 2022, a growth of
more than 860% since 2016. And it’s
only getting bigger: The Influencer
Marketing Benchmark Report 2023
predicted it would grow by another
29% to $21.1 billion in 2023.
Why such a boom?
Internet growth and its
accessibility, as well as innovation
expansion, have made it more
convenient for people to create,
distribute, and sell content digitally.
At the same time, progressive
improvement in user-friendly
digital platforms has shifted
media consumption habits; people
simultaneously create and receive
real time news, diverse personalized
entertainment, and interactive
content on a cheaper and bigger
scale digitally, which traditional
media could not offer. In addition,
24

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
the paradigm shift in generations
has reevaluated our relationships
with technology. While baby
boomers and Gen X value simplicity
and comfort in life with practical
technology use, millennials and
Gen Z, who it’s projected will make
up over 75% of the workforce by
2025, have grown up fully immersed
in technology and the internet
in a highly interconnected and
globalized world, with a stronger
desire for purposeful living.
This younger generation is more
inclined to express their opinions,
passions, skills, and talents digitally,
as well as seeking inspiration and
motivation from other creators in
finding their purpose. As a result
of global social sharing, the rise
of creator culture was born. One
way of looking at it is as part of
a broader shift from creativity as
a by-product of economic growth
to creativity as a driving force
of the economy.
“Using content creators for brand promotion
provides an unlimited number of perspectives and
audiences. This provides an opportunity for an authentic,
community-based connection with audiences. Because
younger audiences expect and accept brand promotion as part
of their entertainment, brands can more easily customize and connect
with them. This strategy also comes with comparatively low risk and
cost to switch up if needed. Through content creators, brands can engage
consumers in a more intimate and personalized dialogue, like a cool
kid who has a group of peers who follow their lead. Content creators
have an emulative relationship with their followers, which feels more
truthful than just being an advert on TV. While traditional media can
reach older audiences and provide wider fame, a well designed campaign
doesn’t have to be either/or. By reinforcing premium messaging and
reaching younger audiences, content-based strategies can complement
traditional media. As a result, brands can reach a broader audience with
a more relevant message.”
How are creators shaking
things up and giving brands
a whole new game plan?
Advertisements are often linked
to consumers’ desired lifestyles, and
in recent years to a purpose or social
cause. This creates an emotional
connection with consumers and
brings their hearts and minds
together. The creator economy
has opened a new advertising
channel for brands and changed
the marketing landscape as brand
partnerships fit perfectly into the
creator economy ecosystem that
revolves around creators, audiences,
and digital platforms.
Brands with strong positioning
and consumer personas offer
partnership opportunities to
creators, who in return offer a
strong commitment to a cause,
an aspirational lifestyle, interactive
and authentic communication, and
ownership of a niche community.
This partnership can include
product mentions and placement,
sponsored content, and more. As
creators exert a strong influence
on their communities, brands
leverage them to communicate
their positioning to their targeted
audience. Ultimately, brands convert
the audience for advocacy and
repeat purchases.
What does success look like?
In comparison to traditional
media such as television, newspaper,
and magazines, the metrics of
success on the digital platform
have evolved over the past years
to accurately determine the return
on investment
for brand
partnerships
with creators.
This involves calculating how
many targeted consumers have been
reached and converted for every
dollar spent on these partnerships.
Some common key performance
indicators are cost per impression,
cost per engagement, cost per
click, cost per lead, and return on
ad spends. The creator economy
has modernized the marketing
industry with cost-effective and
scalable accuracy.
What about
traditional media?
Digital media has grown
in popularity, but despite this
traditional media including
television, radio, and print, still
play a significant role in engaging
with a broader audience with a
strong presence in gaining public
awareness. Brands with a distinctive
brand image that appeals to the
younger audience are leveraging
marketing spend more significantly
on digital media to specifically
target millennials and Gen Z.
But for reaching a larger audience,
which brands categorize as the
consumption pool, traditional
media remains a valuable tool to
keep the brand on top of mind.
So, as much as the internet has
disrupted traditional advertising,
both traditional and new media
play an essential role in the
marketing landscape.
- Talula White, founder and CEO at Sekforde Drinks Ltd.
25

From rags to riches:
creator success stories
Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg,
better known as
PewDiePie, was a
Swedish number
one YouTube
creator and Video
Games Creator
from 2013 until 2022
before announcing his
retirement at the age of 33.
His net worth has been estimated
at $40 million.
Lilly Singh, also known as
superwoman, has created satirical
vlogs on female empowerment
and stereotype since 2010. In
2016, Forbes ranked
her third as the
world’s highestpaid
YouTuber,
earning a
reported $10.5
million. Today,
on top of being
FELIX ARVID ULF KJELLBERG
LILLY SINGH
a YouTuber, she is also a television
host, comedian, author, and actress
with a net worth estimated at over
$20 million.
Ryan Kaji, the youngest
person ever to make
Forbes’ top earners
list at the age of
six in 2017, was
raking in $11
million for giving
reviews and
critiques on toys.
Khabane “Khaby”
Lame, the number one
TikToker, rose to fame by creating
content of funny life hacks after
losing his job in March 2020
due to the pandemic. Lame
made $10 million in 2021,
and in January 2022
he signed a multiyear
partnership
with Hugo Boss
and earned
$450,000.
RYAN KAJI
KHABANE “KHABY” LAME
A-listers want a piece of it too.
Aviation American Gin was
first launched in 2006, gaining
popularity in 2008 when Ryan
Reynolds became a co-owner of
the brand. Ryan expanded the
brand globally using
digital endorsement,
using his selfdeprecating
humor and
entrepreneurial
spirit to take the
brand to the next
level. He also partnered
with Hugh Jackman
to further increase its visibility
through social media. As a result
of its tremendous success,
Diageo, the number one
multinational alcoholic
beverages company,
RYAN REYNOLDS
acquired Aviation
American Gin for
$610 million in 2021.
What is the role of negotiation
in the digital landscape?
A strong partnership is essential
between brands and creators to
ensure sustainability in the creator
economy. The five Ps in negotiation
planning are the key elements for
a win-win situation.
Prospect
Brands need to understand
the creators. Are they a good
match when it comes to identity,
reputation, and authenticity? This
information is obtained through
social media analytic tools, market
research, and influencer marketing
agencies. Creators need to evaluate
what a brand stands for and what
its values are, and what type of
image it wants to project digitally.
Predict
Brands and creators
prepare strategies for a
favorable outcome by
assessing the values each brings
to the table. Both start to predict
the initial partnership offers by
investigating the brand’s business
scale and the creators’ audience
reach, with larger scales leading
to higher offers.
Power
Brands and creators review their
power dynamics and determine how
much one requires from the other.
Well-established brands own more
bargaining power and financial
resources to dictate the partnership
terms, whereas highly popular
and influential creators possess
the upper hand in negotiating
better compensation. Both parties
evaluate their relative strengths and
weaknesses in ensuring a mutually
beneficial corporation.
Plot
After the power dynamics
evaluation, brands and creators
outline the trading variables and
define which of these are valuable
or costly to one another respectively
in building a rapport.
Position
Having identified the variables,
brands and creators position
themselves firmly and plan their
assertive moves of, “If you…,
then we…” to shift the power
dynamics between them. Both
parties need to know each others
breakpoint and be ready to make
trading concessions, as well
as readjust their positions for
a long-term corporation. TNS
“Like most brands, we’ve dipped our toes in the creator economy a few times
and learned some valuable lessons in the process. One of the most important is
that if you’re measuring ROI in sales and direct interactions with your brand, it’s
essential to focus on creators who have an audience that aligns with the people
who already engage with your product, not just the people who you’d like to engage
with it. Our first creator campaign was targeted at young millennials and older Gen Z, and we
got very little back. However, when we partnered with an older influencer, whose followers were
predominantly female boomers, we saw the biggest single uptake in sales we’d experienced as a
brand. It wasn’t the achingly cool brand partnership we’d dreamed about, but we were able to
segment that audience, re-target them, and build significant revenue as a result.’’
- Will Best, TV presenter and co-founder of Bloody Drinks.
IMAGE CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
26

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
A profile in
Leadership
What can business leaders learn about great leadership from one of
the most high-profile politicians of our time? Michael Perlish explains.
IMAGE CREDIT: DMYTRO LARIN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Most observers of Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine in
February 2022 anticipated
a straightforward victory
for Vladimir Putin’s forces. Russia was
28 times larger in land and 3.5 times
the population of Ukraine, and its
900,000 active-duty troops dwarfed
Ukraine’s 240,000.
Instead, the Ukrainian effort
highlights what world-class
leadership can accomplish. Volodymyr
Zelenskyy is neither a seasoned
politician nor military general, but a
former comedian and actor. Despite
his background, Zelenskyy may
come to be regarded as the most
consequential leader of our time. Let’s
examine why and consider application
to the commercial world.
Servant leadership
Selflessness is a leadership quality
Zelenskyy projects in spades. He
appears to regularly put himself at
risk – reputational, financial, and
political – in service of his people and
their cause.
Zelenskyy led from the front since
the war’s inception. When the U.S.
government offered to evacuate him
from Kyiv, he famously responded,
“The fight is here. I need ammo, not
a ride.” He held live press conferences,
posted videos from the streets, implored
world leaders for help, and survived
multiple assassination attempts.
“We’re drawn to leaders who
represent our group,” writes The
Wharton School’s Professor of
Management and Psychology, Adam
Grant. “We follow those who fight
for us, and we make sacrifices for the
leaders who serve us.”
Exceptional leaders demonstrate
actions in service of their people; they
are perceived to be fighting for them,
not just directing operations from their
ivory tower. The courage to eschew
the corporate status quo is requisite
in affecting meaningful change and
building great companies.
Empathy and humility
Zelenskyy has demonstrated
empathy for his people, putting his
own life on the line alongside them.
Understanding he was with them in
not only word but deed has earned
“ I do not want my picture
in your offices; the
President is not an icon,
an idol, or a portrait. Hang
your kids’ photos instead
and look at them each time
you are making a decision.
him fierce loyalty in return.
Humility and empathy make
Zelenskyy a beloved leader. Commercial
leaders with these characteristics are
also more likely to get the most from
their team.
Authenticity
and relatability
Zelenskyy is a people’s leader: from
the people, of the people, by the people
and for the people. Often clad in a
military t-shirt, he speaks in a relatable
manner with passion and purpose,
relaying horrors his people have
endured, often with his voice cracking.
Exceptional leaders are unafraid to
show emotion or share their failures
with an audience. They are relatable
because they come across as an
imperfect human, not an infallible
authority figure. They are trusted
because there is little distinction
between their public persona and
who they truly are; they are authentic.
Charisma
and presence
Michael Useem, Director for
The Wharton School’s Center for
Leadership and Change Management,
calls Zelenskyy, “A master of
communication, one of
the best ever.” Rather than
posing behind a lectern
for the press, he prefers
to sit in a chair or stand
in the street to show the
war-torn landscape. “He’s
as artful as they come in
helping people focus not
on him but on Ukraine,
the disaster it’s going
through, and the solutions
that many countries
ought to be following in
coming to Ukraine’s aid,”
Useem stated.
Zelenskyy never seemed to subscribe
to the objective assessment that he and
Ukraine were outmatched and doomed
to fail. He projected strength, showing
the world we had underestimated him
and Ukraine.
He understood how to inspire his
citizenry and get the attention of
world leaders. “We are fighting for
our freedom and for our lands,” he
stated, aligning the goal of their efforts
with a common purpose of defending
democratic values, rallying the world
to Ukraine’s cause.
The most successful leaders excel
at communication. They inspire with
words and galvanize with actions.
They do not make it about themselves,
opting instead to direct attention to
the initiative at hand and the greater
good it will serve once achieved. TNS
27

THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL PROCUREMENT
Sometimes, something comes along that makes you wonder how you ever
managed without it. So it is with Enhance, a new enterprise-level SaaS solution
that The Gap Partnership have developed for the global procurement market,
set to launch in mid-2023. Kevin Lecompte tells the story.
Enhance is a system that will
enable senior procurement
executives to maximize
the impact on total spend
managed – not just the bigticket
deals, but all contracts and
negotiations – to ensure they all
deliver value to the company and
its suppliers. Before I go into more
detail about Enhance, its functions,
and capabilities, allow me to explain
how it came to be.
IDENTIFYING A GLOBAL
PROCUREMENT NEED
In 2019, our long-standing client,
Unilever came to us with a challenge.
How could they better support their
procurement organization to create
and deliver significantly more value
from their supplier relationships?
They believed the answer lay in
developing and adopting a new
negotiation culture, one which could
impact and inform everything from
process, mindset, and approach, to
skill set and infrastructure.
In 2020, Covid naturally diverted
attention away from this goal. In
2021, efforts were renewed and
conversations refocused on supplier
relationships, as the drive to deliver
more value and supply chain
resilience became evermore critical.
Unilever’s procurement leadership
team had a laser-like focus on
how all negotiations could impact
total spend managed.
And so, the concept
of creating a system to
support
the implementation of global best
practice started to come to fruition.
The idea was, on paper,
straightforward. Generate this best
practice system to accommodate
every type of negotiation across the
global procurement organization.
Unilever knew that negotiation
outcomes and value do not just come
from good negotiation execution;
they depend on negotiation
preparation. Which is why this
framework would integrate Unilever’s
procurement process with The Gap
Partnership’s negotiation planning
methodology. By creating a robust
and repeatable
process for
negotiation
strategy and
tactical plan
development –
and enabling it
to be accessible
globally –
this system
would drive
consistency,
build a common understanding
and approach and, ultimately,
deliver more value from the total
spend managed.
It was clear from the start that
The Gap Partnership’s strategic and
tactical tools, while competent, were
too universal to support Unilever’s
requirements. We knew that they
needed a framework that was more
comprehensive in scope and more
specific in design. What’s more,
this new system needed to be able
to integrate with Unilever tools
and internal processes.
Working with Unilever’s
direct and indirect teams,
we started to develop the
system’s requirements.
We mapped all their processes and
approaches across all their categories
and regions. We then developed best
practices, including the business
rules and approach to governance.
With this in place, we then codeveloped
the Negotiation Toolkit,
with the intention to integrate it into
Unilever’s existing platform where
it could access supplier, contact,
contract, and commercial data
and information.
Developing an end-to-end
solution that ensures data and
information flows both upstream
and downstream, underpinned by
“ We would generate this
best practice system to
accommodate every type of
negotiation across the global
procurement organization.
a governance process that allows for
changes to details that impact later in
the flow, is no easy task. Fortunately,
the software development was left
to the experts. Meanwhile, we
worked with Unilever on the
architecture, approach, process,
and a fit-for-purpose solution for
all the procurement team members
involved in transactional as well
as big-ticket deals.
Beyond being a workable tool, the
system needed to deliver additional
benefits. One was to nurture
corporate memory, through data
capture and insight analysis from past
experiences, which the teams could
learn from and use to inform future
negotiation planning. The tool also
needed to incorporate a reporting
28

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Pilot clients are
benchmarking 1.5-2%
improvement: equivalent to
$75–100 million saving
on a $5 billion spend.
dashboard, to give managers and
users visibility over negotiation
calendars, resourcing, tasks,
deliverables, and financial targets.
Just over a year later, Unilever was
ready to integrate the Negotiation
Toolkit across its direct and indirect
procurement teams globally. They
also put the system forward for the
Procurement Leaders Asia Congress
Digital Solution award 2022 – which,
gratifyingly, it won.
SCALING A SYSTEM FOR
THE GLOBAL MARKET
So, this wrapped up what was
essentially phase one of Enhance’s
development journey – a negotiation
toolkit specifically for the global
procurement market that could
integrate into any business
operating on Unilever’s system
of choice: PEGA.
However, for this toolkit to scale
and be truly global, we needed to
move to phase two: create a SaaS
based version that was platform
agnostic. In other words, it could
operate on any platform without
restrictions. So, in 2022, we set
to work developing a modular,
enterprise-level, license-based
SaaS solution that we have
named: Enhance.
Building on the blueprint of
Unilever’s award-winning global
procurement tool, Enhance benefits
from additional functionality. This
includes should-cost modeling
and a vendor rating solution
integrated within the flow. Client
Engagement Services have been
developed to support the Enhance
system, providing business process
mapping, implementation, and
change management services,
and support understanding, uptake,
and engagement.
Enhance is more than just a
platform and a set of best practice
processes. It incorporates The Gap
Partnership’s methodology and
approach to negotiation, featuring
consulting advice and challenge
through written and video guidance,
and insights that support decisionmaking
and planning development
– all as if our consultants were in the
room with you. Future developments
involving AI and live chat options,
analytics, and MIR are being
discussed, but more on that later.
For now, Enhance is proving to
be an exciting addition to our digital
portfolio. Not only will it support our
consulting activities, providing the
most up-to-date and comprehensive
tool that we can use globally on all
our consulting engagements, it will
support our clients to prepare, plan,
and execute all their negotiations
to optimize value. Clients currently
piloting the tool are benchmarking
1.5-2% value improvement in
negotiations managed through
Enhance. Doing the math on that
produces impressive stats: if the
spend going through the tool is $10
billion, then the value improvement
is circa $150–$200 million!
READY TO ENHANCE
YOUR PROCUREMENT
NEGOTIATIONS?
Enhance will make its market
debut at the Procurement Leaders
World Procurement Congress in
London on May 23–25, 2023.
If you are going to be there, please
come and see us. We would be
delighted to talk to you and
introduce you to a tool we believe
will mark a step change in global
procurement practices. TNS
29

THE
GENERATION
GAP
As Generation X prepare to take the leadership baton
from soon-to-retire boomers, what are the implications
for the future world of work? Jordan Steinohrt reports.
30

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Quietly, in 2022, we
passed a milestone.
With the average
age of baby boomers
– born 1946 to 1964 – now 67,
more than half of that population
are past the retirement age in the
developed world. The next decade
marks the end of the boomer era.
Gen X – born 1965 to 1980 –
will emerge as the leaders of the
2030s, as Gen Z – born 1997
to 2012 – establishes itself in the
workforce. This generation shift
is unlike any we have seen before.
In the developed world, the
boomer generation dwarfs that
of Gen X. With their exit, the
vacuum that is created will bring
with it unseen economic challenges
and exacerbate cross-generational
communication problems.
“What would you do if you were me?” she said.
“If I were you-you, or if I were you-me?
If you were me-me. If I were you-you” he said
“I’d do exactly what you’re doing.”
Robert Hass’ book "Time and Materials"
ILLUSTRATION: GEORGIE SULLIVAN
Despite this added pressure,
the cross-generational narrative
hasn’t changed much since the
silent generation condemned
the hyper-materialistic, postwar
boomer children. Recently,
clickbait phrases like ‘quiet
quitting’, ‘quiet firing’, and ‘quiet
hiring’ have given a new life to
this narrative in the workplace.
I had a conversation with a
Gen X executive recently about
how to motivate their younger
staff. The conversation went as you
would expect: “These young people
don’t want to work anymore…we
give them opportunities to develop
and expand their career and they
just say no…how do they expect
to get ahead in their career if they
aren’t willing to work for it…the
coming recession will sort them
out and show them they can’t act
this way and get away with it.”
Why don’t we recognize this
pattern? Every generation looks
at the next with confusion and
condescension; a version of
“Back in my day…” or “When
I was young…” is spouted as
an undisputable fact without
hearing the echo of our parents’
voice ringing through our ears or
recognizing that our generation
is the one that raises the next.
Communication
and leadership
across generations
has always been
a challenge, but
with the added
weight of the
monumental
demographic
change promised
by the next
decade, it has
never been more
important that we do it effectively.
In order to close this crossgenerational
communication
gap, leaders of tomorrow have to
embrace, what I believe, is the most
undervalued and undertrained
skill in communication: listening.
Boring, right? Well, yes! But
also no. Really listening can be
one of the most interesting and
challenging things a leader can
do because it requires them to
let their guard down and
reconsider their assumptions. But,
it can also be incredibly boring if
the task is not properly understood.
Let’s start with the basics. In
Michael P. Nichols, Ph. D., book
“The Lost Art of Listening,” he
proposes the seemingly radical idea
that most people are rational, at
least from their own perspective,
and that most miscommunications
come from ineffective empathetic
listening between people.
How does this relate to leading
across the generational gap? Well,
how often have you heard from
Gen X that millennials are entitled
and don’t want to work hard? How
often have you heard from Gen Z
that boomers are bigoted? The
uncomfortable reality is that we are
all products of our environment to
a larger extent than we would like
to admit. Each generation is right
about themselves and everyone
else…from their own perspective.
But empathetic listening relies on
the simple premise that…“if you
were them, you would behave
exactly the same.”
For leaders to become effective
listeners the question becomes,
“What would have to be true for
their behavior to be rational?”. At
no point do you have to agree with
their perspective to be an effective
listener, but understanding and
empathizing can help you make
better decisions and communicate
more effectively.
Let’s consider the conversation
I had with a Gen X executive
at the beginning of this article.
What would have to be true to
make the Gen Z approach they
outlined rational?
“These young people don’t
want to work anymore.”
Maybe Gen Z grew up in a
world where their adult future is
overshadowed by the narrative of
climate change? Why would they
sacrifice the now when the future
looks so bleak?
31

Maybe they look at the property
market, their huge university debt,
and the slow growth of real wages
and see all the things, like owning
a house or having a family, that
you were willing to sacrifice for
as unobtainable? So why would
they work hard for something
that seems so unachievable?
"We give them opportunities to
develop and expand their career
and they just say no."
Maybe Gen Z grew up in a
world of visible inequality in the
west? “Occupy Wall Street”, “The
1%” and “Eat the Rich” are part
of the cultural zeitgeist on social
media. Maybe as a result they
don’t trust the system of which
you appear to be a voice? So, when
you say, “I have an opportunity”,
they hear, “I want you to work
harder for free.”
“How do they expect to get ahead
in their career if they aren’t willing
to work for it?”
Maybe they saw their parents,
who were loyal employees, get
made redundant in the Global
Financial Crisis? Consequently,
their attitude towards the businessemployee
relationship might be
more transactional. Why would
they work hard now on a promise
of advancement they don’t believe
they can trust?
around and say “I told you so,
this was always a transactional
relationship. You proved it
when it got tough and you
made me leave.”
These explanations might
not be the reason why these
trends are appearing in the
workplace, but that isn’t the
point. If these were the
reasons, then suddenly Gen Z
attitudes are entirely rational…to
them. Ask questions and try to
understand what is driving your
teams’ behavior, then empathetically
listen to their answers. What they
say is not a challenge to you, or the
way you did things. It is their
perspective, and nothing you believe
changes their experience. Avoid
making assumptions about their
character. After all, “If you were
them, you would behave exactly
the same.”
How then could you adjust
your behavior to influence for
the outcome you want?
In the example that we have
been discussing, by listening to
your team, you might recognize
that Gen Z are more likely to
have a transactional relationship
to work. You may need to invest
more time into building trust
outside of professional boundaries
if you want change. To get more
from Gen Z, you will need to
give more to them and plan
your business so that it
operates in a way that
provides a structural
competitive advantage to
your organization.
Now this is obviously a twoway
street and younger generations
need to take the same approach
with their leaders, but as leaders,
why would you expect new team
members to do that for you
if you aren’t willing to do the same
for them?
The fact of the matter is, with
the vacuum created by boomers
exiting the labor market in the
next decade, it is poised to force
cross-generational communication
and dependence like never before.
This added pressure could result
in an explosion of generational
mudslinging, but the businesses
who manage it best and thrive in
this fast-changing interdependent
world will be the ones who have
leaders who know how to listen
and cut through multi-faceted
lived experience, to communicate
clearly to build the trust needed
to collaborate. TNS
“The coming recession will sort them
out and show them that they can’t
act this way and get away with it.”
Maybe they will see being
made redundant during the
recession as validation of their
previous beliefs? Maybe it will
have the opposite effect to what
you think because they will turn
32

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Culture in negotiation:
Different and
the same
Eelco Modderman is our managing partner of APAC.
Taking on the mantle of The Traveling Negotiator,
he continues to grapple with the role culture plays
(or not) in negotiation.
Welcome back to our
Culture series. In this
episode, I explore
how culture can shape
behavior, which in turn shapes the
process of our negotiations.
Working with clients and
colleagues across Asia-Pacific, I am
forever inspired by the diversity
of people’s behavior and the
environments in which business is
conducted. Arriving at the same
outcome requires very different
approaches, depending on what
country you are in. Even more so
when under pressure, and the future
of a business and its people are
on the line.
In China, for instance, the
concept of ‘guanxi’ underpins
many negotiations. ‘Guanxi’ is the
importance of building a trustbased
relationship. Trust as a true
friend. This takes time, effort, and
energy to achieve. So how do you
build that into your negotiation?
How do you create that
appropriate relationship for the
deal you need to make, even before
you ever talk about any deal?
Next, let’s head to Japan. Although
strongly hierarchical, Japan is also one
of the most consensual societies in the
world. The ‘ringi’ system of decision
making is essentially a management
technique in which lower-level
managers discuss an idea among
themselves, come to a consensus,
and then present it to managers
one level higher. It is hierarchical
and consensual, all at the same
time. Generally, authority remains
within rather than on top of the
organization. In traditional Japanese
companies, the corporate office, not
the president, holds the power. In
contrast, Western companies hold a
president, leadership team, or board
of directors as the power structure.
So yes, these global differences
mean negotiations flow differently.
But…does it mean that the
psychology of negotiation is different?
Or that the philosophy and concepts
need to be adjusted from one country
to another? On the surface, that
sounds logical, but I don’t think
it’s true. We are all just people
negotiating with people, and are often
more than the product of the culture
we grow up in (remember my kids
from last time?) and work in. One
“ When we negotiate
across multiple cultures,
misunderstandings can
lie around every corner.
Dutch person can be stereotypically
blunt, while another may be much
less so.
In my travels, I’ve found the same
concepts of negotiation hold true
anywhere in the world. For example,
there are different types
of situations; you need to
consider the other person’s
needs (not just your own),
and you need to take charge of
your behavior. What is different
is how you adapt and adjust.
Sure, how you plan and what
you plan for will be different, and
that is true everywhere! In China,
strong negotiators will build in the
right time and approach to building
‘guanxi’. In Japan, it is crucial to
ensure planning allows for consensus
building so that your counterparty is
enabled to accept your offer.
Despite how global the world is
these days, many of us will operate
mostly within our own culture
set, in our native language, where
unwritten rules are much easier to
interpret and build in. It only tends
to become tricky where the full
global diversity is involved. Indeed,
when we negotiate across multiple
cultures, misunderstandings can lie
around every corner. How do you deal
with that? I would love to hear your
thoughts and experience so
that, perhaps next time, we
can dig deeper into that.
For now, my tips are to be
true to your own culture, be
conscious of the other party,
and be in charge of your
behavior. Most importantly,
whatever you do, please
(please!) make and take
enough time to plan. TNS
33

Tricks of my Trade
Managing Partner EMEA, Marc Wehrum shares insights on leadership,
how mentorship shaped his career, and what it takes to be a role model
for future generations of leaders.
The Negotiation Society: Tell us about life before
The Gap Partnership.
Marc: I spent 15 years with Mars where I had seven different
roles in four different countries, starting as a sales systems
manager and ending up as general manager (GM) based
in Paris.
TNS: Is there a defining moment that shaped the path you
have taken?
Marc: For me it was more of a defining person. When I
worked at Mars Drinks, a vacancy in the GM role came up
and there was one person who I greatly admired and wanted
to have in that position. We went for a walk one afternoon
and I expressed my desire to work for him. What ensued
was five years working for this brilliant leader, learning all
the skills I possess today. Together we achieved an immense
amount, and I owe my professional career to this person.
Sometimes, all it takes is finding that special mentor.
TNS: How have your negotiation skills evolved?
Marc: Negotiation has always been part of my job. I went on
The Complete Skilled Negotiator training ten years ago and
this truly changed my life and professional journey. The part
that I integrated into my daily work the
most was the creativity I learned.
To illustrate, the IT department
at Mars Drinks had to modify
its SAP system for one of the
biggest deals at Mars Drinks.
Thanks to the out-of-the-box
thinking I learned from the
training, a deal we wouldn’t
have won otherwise. Time
did not change the way
I negotiated, but the training
I received changed my
life forever.
TNS: What is most important in leadership?
Marc: True leaders’ primary focus should be how they
can help those around them reach their full potential and
become the best versions of themselves. The legacy a leader
leaves behind is not the impact they make on the business,
but rather the mark they leave on the people they helped
to grow.
TNS: What is the connection between negotiation
and leadership?
Marc: The most significant challenge is having the right
people in the right place at the right time. This requires
constant negotiation between what is possible now versus
what is desired in an ideal world.
TNS: What’s the best thing about your role?
Marc: The opportunity to serve as a role model for future
generations of leaders. It’s incredibly rewarding to imagine
that, in the future, I may have helped others achieve
fulfilling and successful careers through the leadership
I provide.
TNS: What is the most challenging part of your role?
Marc: Undoubtedly when individuals whom I believed
would grow and develop do not progress as envisioned.
In these situations, separation becomes the only
viable option.
TNS: What advice helped you develop as a leader?
Marc: People value a leader who provides open and
candid feedback, even if it may be difficult to receive.
Feedback is critical for personal growth and development,
and leaders who avoid tough conversations to maintain
a sense of ease will ultimately fail to make their team
grow and learn. Therefore, creating a feedback culture
is the most important aspect of my current role.
Investing the effort in establishing such
a culture within an organization,
while at times challenging and
time consuming, will be
handsomely rewarded. TNS
Listen now on our podcast
Don’t miss out on the full interview –
tune in to The Negotiation Society
podcast on your favorite platform.
34

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Lance Ward
Lead, negotiate,
succeed.
As leadership and negotiation are two of my
passions, people often ask me which leadership
skills enable me to be an effective negotiator.
In truth there are many intersecting skills, but
I believe two sit at the top of the list: communicating for
effect, and exploring options while maintaining control.
Everyone knows you must tailor your message to your
audience. I take that a step further: you must tailor the
entire communication to your audience. This includes
not only your words, but also the tone, demeanor, and
energy with which they’re delivered. For example, when
communicating a message about poor performance to
my leadership team, I may choose a direct, serious and
fiery tone. But if conveying a similar message to a team
of junior sales managers, I choose different words and
dial down the directness, seriousness, and energy with
which the message is communicated. That’s because the
entire communication must be packaged in a way that
best enables the audience to hear, process, and act upon
the information. If it’s inappropriately packaged, the
receiving party could feel overwhelmed and shut down,
or if the message is watered down, importance isn’t felt
and related actions don’t get the appropriate urgency.
Communicating for effect is just as important
in negotiation. Whenever you interact with your
counterparty, you should have a clear objective.
People often craft a communication plan in advance
of key meetings, but rarely take that beyond just the
words. But the directness, demeanor, and energy with
which the plan is communicated is often even more
“ Whenever you interact with
your counterparty, you should
have a clear objective.
important to get right. If we don’t appropriately tailor
the entire communication we won’t efficiently move our
organizations in the right direction when we lead, and
we won’t move our counterparties at the right pace when
we negotiate.
It’s common knowledge you need to be in control if
you’re going to be effective at leadership or negotiating.
What I think is commonly
misunderstood is the concept of
control. My understanding of effective
control has evolved through years
of experience and self-reflection.
I originally thought that
control meant
orchestrating
an initiative
so the
objective was
achieved by
diligently
following
the predetermined path on an unwavering timeline.
But upon reflection, my actions were often driven by
an inappropriate level of confidence. Too little confidence
and I tended to shut down alternate views because I had
neither the knowledge to quickly assess the information,
nor the experience to understand if or how to incorporate
it into the plan.
Conversely, too much confidence could lead to an
impatient mindset that didn’t effectively engage those
around me. Without the appropriate level of confidence
people tend to exert too much control for fear of getting
off ‘their’ track. This may provide short term results, but
ultimately you’ll hit a ceiling for the impact you have
on and for your organization.
True confidence is key to effectively maintaining
control while driving the best outcome. It allows you
to efficiently and effectively explore options from those
around you. The best outcome is always a result of a
team effort. When leading it means engaging the team
earlier to explore options you wouldn’t normally consider.
When negotiating collaboratively it means engaging
your counterparty earlier to explore options that would
improve the outcome for both parties. Without true
confidence all options are viewed as distractions. Instead
we need to listen, process, and evaluate alternatives to
determine whether they can be potentially powerful
plan improvements.
Only through confidence in ourselves, but humility
to learn from others, can we be the most effective
leaders and negotiators.” TNS
Lance Ward is Managing Partner Americas
at The Gap Partnership.
35

QUESTION
TIME
We asked our expert panel to give us their
considered yet concise response to this
question: “Can you negotiate your way
to the top?”
Kate Webber
Head of Product Strategy, Northern Trust
Founder of Women in Asset Servicing
Negotiating well starts with
understanding your own value. Many
of us will have heard that women tend
to wait until they are certain they can
do 90% of a job before applying for it
(as opposed to more like 50% for men).
It’s a general statement but nonetheless
still resonates. But it’s an approach
that limits us because our value for
an organization isn’t confined to the
skills we can demonstrate immediately.
Equally important is the value brought
by learning and growing with an
employer over time.
Value is more than pay and benefits
– it’s about how an organization treats
its people and sponsors its talent.
When you value yourself and refuse
to be deflected from that, yes you can
negotiate to the top. Being part of a
positive culture is an enabler for great
negotiation, personal ambition, and
long-term success – and shows that
your employer values you in return.
36

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
Carl Marr III Nancy Kilany Richard Woodward
Senior Consultant,
The Gap Partnership
COO,
Prime Financial Solutions
Partner,
The Gap Partnership
Early in my career I was told,
“It’s not what you know, but who
you know.” That was many years ago,
and the economic environment has
since become increasingly competitive.
It’s no longer about who you know,
but rather, what value you bring to
the table.
I don’t believe you can negotiate
your way to the top, but negotiation
can accelerate your ascension. A
key component of negotiation is
understanding what variables are
important to the counterparty. In
my experience there are four: exceed
revenue goals, increase effectiveness
and efficiency of resources, cut cost,
and stay compliant.
Once you understand these and
how they’re prioritized, you can craft
your proposal for the role. “If you hire
me, I can exceed the revenue plan by….”
Or, “If you hire me, I can improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of…”
This framework for trading value
can be effective during internal
negotiations and when used effectively
can accelerate your trajectory to
the top!
As a woman in the corporate
world, negotiating your way to the
top is challenging but not impossible.
The use of smart tactics will help you
achieve success.
Build networks by cultivating
relationships with senior executives,
mentors, and peers who provide you
with guidance and opportunities.
Develop skills, take on challenging
projects and seek feedback,
demonstrating your value to
the organization.
Be assertive: ask for what you want,
negotiate for better pay, and advocate
for yourself. And, be strategic: identify
decision-makers and influencers in
the organization and align your goals
with their’s to gain support. Embrace
diversity to enhance your perspective
and generate innovative ideas. Believe
in yourself, take risks and persevere
through setbacks.
Finally, balance work and life
by prioritizing your personal and
professional goals to avoid burnout
and maintain focus. It is possible:
you can negotiate your way to the
top as a woman, and as a professional,
within a corporate environment.
Negotiating your way to the top
is not for the fainthearted, but if
you’re cunning and you’ve got some
serious negotiation skills, you can
absolutely pull it off.
Know your worth, be confident
in your abilities, and don’t settle
for less than you deserve. To give
yourself the edge, pay attention to
what others say and understand
their motivations. Don’t be afraid to
think outside the box, as the more
innovative you are in your approach,
the more likely you are to succeed.
Stay flexible and be prepared
to make compromises, adjusting
your strategy to adapt to changing
circumstances. Remain in control,
one step ahead of the conversation,
and keep people guessing, as they’ll
value things more the harder they
are to obtain!
So, can you negotiate your way to
the top? Yes! But be prepared as you
may need to continue negotiating to
stay there. TNS
37

DEAR GRAHAM
The Gap Partnership’s CEO, Graham Botwright, tackles questions on
high-performance procurement, negotiating with leadership teams,
and how to take a negotiation temperature check of your business.
Q: I work in procurement
and spend a lot of time focused
on saving money in bigger
negotiations, often ignoring the
smaller ones because it’s simply
too time consuming. How could
we adopt a better approach?
G: It makes sense to
concentrate your efforts on the
highest value deals as you’ll achieve
your biggest returns there. However,
there can be significant value held in
a large number of smaller vendors.
Segmenting vendors allows you to
build a common approach for multiple
negotiations. Don’t segment just on
size. Consider your dependence
and alternatives.
Build a strategy and plan for
each segment, taking into account
your orientation: competitive versus
co-operative; your approach
to value based on the
dependence, i.e. take, share
or give; your objectives from
vendors in this segment;
and finally, key negotiation
milestones, accountabilities,
triggers, actions and
reporting mechanism.
Then communicate
this plan to internal
stakeholders who manage
the relationships with each
vendor day-to-day.
If you want to invest in support,
Enhance is a powerful SAAS platform
that facilitates the whole process so you
can seamlessly manage negotiations
with large numbers of smaller suppliers
and maximize the value of every deal.
Q: I don’t feel empowered to
negotiate with the leadership team
at my company because they hold
all the cards. What can I do to
strengthen my position?
G: I wonder what your leadership
team think? Often we credit the other
party with more cards than they really
have. I wonder if they feel you hold
more bargaining strength than you do?
Be clear about what you’re trying to
achieve: a richer budget, salary increase,
more resources, more time, etc. Then be
clear about what you’ll deliver in return.
“Don’t become entrenched
by ‘principle’, keep looking
at alternative approaches.
Then assess how sensitive to trust
your relationship negotiating skills
will be. If low sensitivity, you can be
more demanding in the short-term.
If more sensitive, consider a longerterm
strategy and build value through
tangible results. Either way you
can’t walk away quickly, so there is
dependency both ways.
Build a plan that considers how
you’ll seed the benefits from an early
stage. Create advocacy in others so
they preach your message. Think about
whether asking for significantly more
than you expect to get will help your
cause or damage trust.
Take the initiative and make the
first proposal, assertively. Listen
to the response but don’t react
emotionally. Be firm but flexible,
creating increasing value for
your leadership team (as well
as yourself ) as you explore a
solution. Don’t become entrenched
by ‘principle’, keep looking at
alternative approaches. Conclude
the negotiation by giving your
leadership team satisfaction, so they
feel they’ve achieved what they need
to and have done a great job.
And make sure you over-deliver
on your commitments so that next
time you have even more power!
Q: As a commercial leader, how
can I better understand where our
negotiation strengths and weaknesses
as an organization lie?
G: I would advise you
to conduct a negotiation
culture index (NCI) analysis.
This assesses your company’s
commercial maturity in
three areas: people, process,
and organization. These
are then broken down
further into nine different
competencies, which are
benchmarked alongside
other organizations against
these competencies.
An NCI clarifies your market
performance, identifying where you
can capitalize on strengths and where
your flaws expose you to unnecessary
risk. It examines functional,
departmental and geographic detail.
Some organizations dive deeper into
individual capability, considering
development planning and
capability building.
Following the survey, you will
receive a detailed report and a strategic
development plan, prioritizing
actions to address the findings. TNS
38

THE NEGOTIATION SOCIETY
CROSSWORD
Our fiendishly challenging British-style crossword returns.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9
10 11
12 13
14
15 16 17 18
19 20 21
21 Keep horse, for example,
around and working (7)
22 Suspect sailor’s about to dance (5)
24 Appeal to Barnaby’s mind (8)
27 Man will broadcast statistic
about moon shown by
astronomical instrument (9)
28 Opening apparent in
moleskin trousers (5)
29 Starter of negroni’s boring,
mine is a beer! (4)
30 Infer uncle is wasted as guide (10)
ILLUSTRATION: WWW.CARTOONSTOCK.COM
22 23 24 25
27 28
29 30
ACROSS
1 Broker got irate with no
representation (10)
6 Huge virtual photo (4)
10 See 21 down
11 Learning no one’s returned
English gold coin found at
the front (9)
12 Pass on right − cutting in
produces slide (8)
13 Thanks you once Henry left
to find American mammal (5)
15 Record one’s poem section (7)
17 Notification by letter: ‘Rector’s
accommodation’s in flood’ (7)
19 Discontinued but
dispatched object (7)
" I think you’ll find my leadership style pretty direct."
26
DOWN
1 Steal chip (4)
2 Supplies hairy Roger with ices (9)
3 Consumer coming from
nameless ship (5)
4 It’s normal to state how
old you are (7)
5 Abundant work, you say,
taken on fast (7)
7 Foundation of Antwerp −
old, international place (5)
8 Advice from firm libelous
when not independent (10)
9 Take account of plant,
briefly popular (6,2)
14 Traveling dealer’s
trendy direction (10)
16 Crook is one who
makes connections (8)
18 Space unit with alien
I see is potent (9)
20 People without recognition
primarily function as Chinese (7)
21/10 Like Italian watch,
a modern timepiece (7,5)
23 Fruit machine’s heading for Musk (5)
25 Idiot in U.A.E. heartless
to make consolidation (5)
26 Time to give my royal speech (4)
For solutions email
hello@thenegotiationsociety.com
39

Interviews. Insights. Inspiration.
Now on our podcast.
The Negotiation Society podcast serves up interviews with diverse
and inspirational leaders from around the world, finding out along
the way what makes them tick, how they got to where they are
today, and the role that negotiation has played. Expect candor,
insight, and (naturally), plenty of negotiation learning.
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