The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

BEING CONFIDENT / 205

Case study

DRAWING ON EXPERIENCE

A young executive was given the

authority by his boss, the group

managing director, to negotiate

the purchase of a company. This

in itself was a daunting task, but,

arriving at the meeting with a

partner from the company’s

lawyers as his only colleague, he

was ushered into a room to find

11 people sitting opposite. The

owners of the company he was

buying were there, as were their

accountants, tax advisors, and

lawyers, and three merchant

bankers. For an instant, he was

totally overwhelmed. Then he

remembered an industrial relations

negotiating course he had attended

a few years before. He recalled

how he had handled that situation

successfully, his confidence

immediately returned, and he

successfully negotiated the deal.

What compliments

have I received

from others?

What am I most proud

of? What did it feel

like when I did it?

What am I

good at?

US_204-205_Being_confident.indd 205 30/05/16 3:03 pm