Put yourself in the shoes of Alice Jones, the executive who is being considered for termination in the Netflix case study. What objections or concerns might you express during the negotiation session if you were Alice Jones? Some examples could be:
- Alice claims the action being taken is discriminatory and threatens to sue for wrongful termination.
- Alice requests job placement or relocation benefits in order to transition to another job.
Share three objections you would make if you were Alice Jones. Then, propose responses from Sharon Slade that would help steer the process to a successful conclusion and help maintain a positive relationship between the two parties.
Reading and Resources
Textbook:The Hidden Rules of Successful Negotiation and Communication: Getting to Yes!, Chapter 7 (pp. 101–106)
Conflict and objections in a negotiating session are a natural, normal, and expected part of the negotiation process. This chapter discusses methods to constructively use such conflict to develop a win-win outcome.
Video: Dealing With Difficult People (cc) (3:58) (Optional)
This video introduces a simple two-step approach: identify the kind of difficult person you are dealing with and stop the reward for their bad behavior. This will disarm difficult people in interpersonal interactions.
- Library Article: How Netflix Reinvented HR
- Article: The Woman Behind the Netflix Culture Doc
- Presentation: Netflix Culture: Freedom & Responsibility
Answer preview
Sharon would like to respond to the lawsuit against Netflix by offering a different deal for Alice Jones. It is true that Alice is among the most hardworking employees at the firm. Also, she is one of the oldest. Therefore, cutting her from her job would remain difficult for both parties. Sharon can instead offer Alice a different position in the firm: one that she would remain comfortable performing. Since Alice has a lot of expertise in all departments in the firm, Sharon would offer Alice a switch to the HR department to avoid termination or a lawsuit.
- Relocation Benefits
I believe that the past ten years’ experience gathered at Netflix can act as my foundation towards finding other careers to pursue. Therefore, as the termination matures, I would like to request relocation benefits to assist me to move to another job of my choosing. The relocation
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