Goals for Negotiating with Difficult Stakeholders

The G.A.I.N.S. Comp Negotiation Playbook by Jacob Warwick Every successful negotiation starts with leverage. While most people ask, “What can you offer me?,” the people who secure the highest comp say, “Here’s how I’ll solve your most pressing challenges and create new possibilities for your business.” This shift isn’t semantic—it fundamentally transforms how decision-makers perceive your value. When you make them feel confident, inspired, and excited about the future you’ll build together, compensation becomes a natural reflection of that value, not a negotiation point. Whether you’re planning six months ahead or sitting in discussions right now, here’s the process Jacob Warwick developed through trial and error with hundreds of clients over 15 years. Here's the playbook: G: Gather intelligence. Go beyond the obvious. Dig into the company’s real challenges, understand who truly makes decisions (hint: it’s not always on the org chart), and know their market better than they do. A: Align with their needs. Stop selling your resume. Start demonstrating how you’ll solve their specific problems for the company/team. When you position yourself as the solution to their challenges—not just another candidate—the power dynamic shifts immediately. I: Influence key stakeholders. Create champions throughout the organization, not just with the hiring manager. Show each stakeholder how you’ll make their world better, and they’ll fight for your compensation later. N: Navigate complexity. Master the delicate dance of pushing for what you’re worth without creating tension. Know exactly when to advance discussions and when to build relationships. Timing is everything. S: Secure your value. Get agreements right, start delivering value before day one, and build the foundation for your long-term success. Here's more on part 1: G: Gather intelligence that others miss The most valuable information won’t show up in press releases or job descriptions. To build real leverage, spend time on three key intelligence domains: 1. Organization dynamics Forget the org chart—real power flows through history, unspoken alliances, and relationships. Approach: - Identify who gets consulted before decisions are made (often not who you’d expect) - Learn which past failures still haunt leadership thinking - Discover which rising stars have the CEO’s ear - Uncover the true drivers that aren’t discussed openly How to execute this: Before any interview, ask your network, “Who really influences decisions at this company?” and “Whose opinion does the leadership team value most?” The answers might surprise you. During the interview, ask questions such as: - How are decisions typically made in this organization? - Who are the key people I will collaborate with? - What’s the history behind this position? Is it new or am I replacing someone? - How can I best show up for you? And how can I best show up for [name other team member(s)]? Keep reading: http://bit.ly/3S1qiT2

Facing a negotiation Goliath? Try this strategy: Leverage negotiation structure, not strength. Discover practical steps to balance negotiations even when the odds feel stacked against you. My client once described facing a powerful negotiator as stepping into the ring against Mike Tyson. That sinking feeling when power seems stacked can sting, but it doesn’t have to knock you out. When you negotiate with someone stronger (more money, higher status, better alternatives), use Strategy to smooth the rough edges: • Compare BATNAs clearly • Strengthen your BATNA (Best Alternative) • Connect your goals clearly to theirs • Explicitly highlight responsibility • Increase accountability with clear questions • Bring in objective standards and allies • Manage strong emotions, especially optimism • Offer multiple equivalent proposals (MESOs) • Name hard-ball tactics, refocus on process • Be visibly ready to walk away early The game changer? Negotiation isn’t about strength; it’s about structured, clear thinking. Negotiation mastery is strategic clarity, not raw power. How have you successfully handled negotiations against stronger counterparts? Share your spin, I’d love your insights. Save this post as your quick guide when negotiating uphill. ♻️ If valuable, share it. Someone else’s next negotiation might depend on it. 

In negotiation, I don’t chase the price. I live in the adversary’s world. That’s not just empathy. It’s control. Jim Camp drilled this into me: The goal isn’t to close. The goal is to help them see what they actually want. Example: Seller says they can’t take less than $200K for a note. Do I: A) Ask if they’d consider less? B) Counter at $150K and hope we meet in the middle? C) Ask questions about why they’re selling and what they’ll do with the money? A means I didn’t hear them. B means they’re driving. C is where the real process starts. In a current deal, I keep asking: “Remind me why you’re looking to sell again?” Each answer goes one layer deeper. Every time they talk, I learn what the deal is really about. It’s never just the price. Some people negotiate against numbers. I spend time uncovering what’s hiding behind them.

Closing a nine-month deal in one week came down to a single interaction.    I had the opportunity to coach a country General Manager on a big negotiation recently. We were strategizing an agreement she’d been struggling with for the better part of a year. The other side would yell one day and ignore her the next – classic poker-playing techniques for senior executives.     After learning what she was facing, I offered some suggestions on how to approach the negotiation in another way. Instead of continuing to beat the drum about how her value was superior to her competition, she instead addressed the way she was being treated by the executive.    The tone of the conversations turned in a single moment.     She reminded him of how he had tried to belittle her and her product with his negotiation tactics. She then asked, “What would you do if you were in my position?”     The other executive thought for a moment and said, “I guess I would have walked away a long time ago. I get it now, let’s talk.”     Inside of a week, she was able to close the deal, on her terms, and earn an extra $10M in revenue for her company.      When dealing with a high-stakes negotiation:    1.    Take the time to plan out your approach. You’d be surprised how often this doesn’t happen! It can make or break your next conversation – and it always saves time in the long run.    2.    Remember that every buyer is different. You will always need to adjust your value positioning and tactics to address their specific needs, organizational priorities and style. Think how your offering will: increase revenues, decrease costs, or mitigate some kind of risk for them.    3.    Learn poker playing tactics. These behaviors can slow down negotiations and are often just a bluff to get you to drop your price. When you know they’re playing poker, you can deploy a number of different tactics to level the playing field.