Leah Vs. Rob: Social Negotiations

Leah declared happy hour at work today, which consisted of an e-mail to a few friends in order for it to go viral and invite several people.  It was decided to be at Market Grill in Soulard.  Since I was at lunch when happy hour was declared, I did not immediatelly respond.  Leah, being concerned for my general well being since I did not instantly pounce on the notion of happy hour sent me the following in an e-mail:

From: Avila, Leah A
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 12:14 PM
To: Liebherr, Robert
Subject: RE: Wait

It makes me nervous when you’re silent on issues like Happy Hour…

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals 

 To which I replied:

I just got back from lunch, but I’m staying in tonight.  For real this time.

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

She pleads:

But. But…Robert…

It’s just happy hour.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals

Knowing what I know about Leah, I choose not to respond to that e-mail.  You see, it's a trap.  If I respond, she will undoubtedly convince me to not only go to happy hour, but to go out after happy hour and drive her home at 7:00 am to let out her Great Dane, Daphne.  Keep in mind, I will have gone to bed around 3:30 am.  Additionally, I need to go to the office tomorrow morning to wrap some things up on a project I've been given.  Leah knows she could convince me to go out.  It's not difficult.  At this point, I picture her sitting at her desk, staring at her e-mail with a mischevious smile as she taps her fingertips together in front of her face.  After a few moments of thinking, she belts out an evil laugh and leans back in her chair.  Inexplicably, a cat that jumps in her lap and she begins petting it.  The mischevious smile returns as she plots my drunken demise.  She makes the first move.  It's a good one:

Okay Robert.  You can have this one since I bailed on about 4 months of Fridays.  Consider us even.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals

Let me explain this one. Leah is pursuing her MBA, which means she's very, very smart and very talented in the art of negotiating. For several months she had a class on Saturday mornings. That meant, despite my pleading and generous promises of several "best times of her life", she repeatedly declined to go out. Admittedly, responsible on her part. She considers one bailed happy hour the equivalent of 16 Friday night rejections. I think the obviousness of this disproportion requires no further explanation. I should also point out that I declined a Sunday Funday with Leah. For those of you that don't know, Sunday Funday is drinking on a Sunday before a workday on Monday. It's the adult equivalent of going out on a school night.  It's risky and dangerous. It's the little things in life, it really is. It's also clever because "Funday" rhymes with "Sunday". Back to the point, she's trying to trick me. I react swiftly:

I’ll allow that to make us half even.  It accounts for 2 months of Fridays.  Wow, how about that ratio?  One Rob HH equals 2 month’s of Leah’s Fridays.  That is wildly lopsided.  We both do about the same amount of damage on drinking…

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

At this point, we're shuffling for strategic negotiating positions.  Like Generals on a battle field commanding troops to various combat positions, we prepare our arguments to achieve our goal: winning this argument.

I’ll accept the skipping of this happy hour as two months and the skipping of Sunday funday as the other two.  We’re even.

I don’t think it’s whether they’re equivalent…I think it’s the fact that you couldn’t handle 4 months of staying in on Fridays.  This is for your benefit.  And so we don’t have to spend the next 3 years trying to figure out whether you’ve reached the equivalent.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

Let the negotiations begin. A strong argument.  But I've discovered what I determine to be a weakness in Sunday Funday.  I attack:

You’re good at negotiating, Leah.  But I must point out, Sunday Funday was about 3 hours long after you sent me the text message of it’s existence.  Also, if we’re attempting to get me out tonight, then I don’t see staying in as a valid…I lost my train of thought right then because your last paragraph makes me head hurt.  Where does 3 years come in to play?

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

Admittedly, it was a feable attack.  I forgot what I was trying to prove and I ended up embarrassing myself.  Leah graciously explains:

Sunday funday was only a maximum of an hour in when I texted…it just took you 3 hours to address my text, and Sunday funday continued for hours after while you consciously decided to watch television shows with Ross Wilson.

3 years:  it would probably take three years for you to accumulate 4 months worth of staying in Fridays.  And we would have to keep track.  I would say we would lose track after about a year, then it would become an argument.  I’m saving us effort in the long term by settling up negotiations now.

I  stand by my previous offer.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

While I maintain I responded to the Sunday Funday text instantly, I can't exactly remember. She's holding firm to her offer. I panic slightly. I feel like I'm negotiating with a robot. No emotions. No fear. Bravely, I respond:

I agree that it would take 3 years for me to accumulate 16 Friday’s without going out.  However, what we need to determine is how many hours of a Sunday Funday equate to 2 months of staying in on a Friday.  As we have previously discussed, half of tonight will count for 2 months of staying in, or 8 Fridays.  So, in order for this to be fair, we need to account for the remaining 8 Fridays.  Since I’m always down for a good time, and Sunday Funday is one of the rare occasions (excluding tonight) that I have declined to join you in making bad decisions, this is the only commodity (which now Fridays and Sunday Fundays have just become) we have to bargain over, what do you think it’s worth?

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

Flaw #1: Agreeing with Leah.  I mean, she did have a very good point. It would easily take me three years to accumulate sixteen Fridays in which I don't go out. Still, I should not have agreed. The bar has been set. I've given up eight Fridays. Luckily, what I do know of negotiations I employ here. Never say the first price. Leah reacts:

And Wednesday night…Hmm…Robert.  Three times in one week of rejecting fun?

Stand by my offer.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

I immediatelly pee my pants out of shear terror. She's standing firm! I've now changed pants three times in this negotiation and my coworkers are beginning to wonder where I keep all my pants stashed in the office.  I'll never tell. Wednesday night was a happy hour put on by our mutual friend, Julie. This is a glaring weakness in her argument. Like David slinging a rock at Goliath, I take aim:

Wednesday night was not rejecting you, since you did not send the original invite and does not apply here.

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

Booyah!

Fine.  Even though I sent additional requests for your presence, I will make that concession.


Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

Victory! Albeit small, but like I said earlier, it's the little things in life. I'm gaining confidence now:

I’m awaiting your offer.

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

Short. Succinct. Some might say emotionless. Game recognizes game. We continue the dance:

Tonight = 8 Fridays
Sunday Funday = 6 Fridays

Final 2 Fridays can be utilized for a go home early.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

She set the first price. This is a terrible deal for me. I have never gone home early. When I commit to something, I commit. My rebuttal:

Tonight = 8 Fridays
Sunday Funday = 2 Fridays

Final 6 Fridays can be utilized for two declined weeknights, one weekend night, or three go home earlies.

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

A fair deal. However, Leah's not looking for fair. She's looking for compromise. A compromise leaning her way. She throws on the gloves and dances out of her corner:

Sunday Funday = 4 Fridays

Final 4 Fridays can be utilized for one declined weeknight, one Sunday funday, or two go home earlies.

BAFO

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals|

BAFO.  Not BAFO. Best and final offer. I read the deal. I reread the deal. I rereread the deal.

You have a deal, Ms. Avila.

Robert M. Liebherr
Work Flow Coordinator

I like it. I started with no opt-outs at the beginning of this negotiation. It's a perfect compromise really.

Nice doing business with you, Mr. Liebherr.

Leah A Avila| The Boeing Company |Contracts & Pricing | F/A-18 Major Proposals

As I write this, Leah is sure to be entering hour three of her happy hour and trying to determine where to go next.  Should you be reading this, Leah, might I recommend Sidebar? 

Who do you think won?