Timing Adjustments in Negotiation Scenarios

Legal counsel are expected to be legal wizards AND deal closers.   But no one talks about the one thing that makes both impossible:   Time.   You’re asked to review a 60-page contract...   ...by lunch.   You’re brought in to “red flag” risks...   ...5 minutes before the negotiation starts.   You’re expected to lead the deal...   ...but weren’t even in the kickoff meeting.   Let’s call it what it is:     You’re set up to fail.   Not because you lack skill.   But because you lack leverage over time.   And in high-stakes negotiations, that’s deadly.   Because when you're pressed for time, you:   - Miss hidden risks   - Can’t play the long game   - Default to safer (but weaker) positions   - Say yes to bad deals just to close them     So what’s the fix?   It’s not “work faster.”  It’s "negotiate differently."   Here’s what I teach legal leaders to do instead:   1. Flip the frame.   Instead of being the last to know, become the first to ask:     “What’s the strategic goal here?”   This instantly shifts you from reviewer to value-creator.   2. Use time as a term.   Just like you negotiate price and scope, negotiate "timeline."    You’d be surprised how often it’s flexible — if you just ask.   3. Push back with clarity, not conflict.   Say: “I can hit this deadline — but only if we deprioritize X.”   Now you're not just saying “no,”  You’re driving decisions.   4. Stack your input early.   If the deal always lands in your lap last minute, create a 3-question intake checklist.     No intake = no review.    Watch how fast they loop you in earlier.   If you feel like you’re constantly cleaning up messes made upstream...   That’s not your fault.   But it is your job to change it.   Because great legal counsel don’t just manage risk.     They manage time like it's part of the deal.   P.S. I teach legal leaders how to negotiate on their terms (and win without burnout.)   Want to shift from reactive to strategic? Let’s talk.

⏱️ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹? 🤝 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘴? Every day, at the Innovation Office University of Basel , we meet startups and we do our best to help them navigating the complexity of their journey. Funding is always a crucial element in each and every single one! Timing your venture negotiations is a critical part of the funding strategy, especially as year-end deadlines approach. I'd like to break down the key insights from Peter Walker's chart from Carta and explore what this means for your startup company - now! 📉 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? 🎄 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: It’s the busiest month for signed venture deals. Why? Most negotiations are wrapping up after months of groundwork in September and October. If you’re in talks now, expect a hectic push to close. ❄️ 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 & 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆: These are the quietest months for signed deals. New conversations rarely start during the holiday season, and VCs often pause their decision-making. However, discussions that kick off early in the new year typically culminate in March closures. 🚀 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵, 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 In fields like biotech, where trials and milestones dictate funding needs, syncing your fundraising efforts with investors’ active cycles can have a great impact on your chances. Similarly, deep-tech startups tackling hardware challenges often face longer funding cycles - strategic timing can help speeding up your development. If your current timelines don’t align with investor activity: 🔹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽: Refine your pitch, build an investor-ready data room, and strengthen your network. 🔹𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱: Use this quieter period to reach key milestones or secure regulatory progress. 💡 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 Imagine a life sciences startup seeking Series A for clinical trials. Engaging investors in December may secure funding just as the new year’s hiring freeze lifts, setting you up to hit critical Q1 goals. Conversely, launching in January could mean waiting until spring for deal flow to pick up again. 🔗 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 Timing matters, but preparation is key. At the Innovation Office, we help startups master both. Curious about how we can support you? Reach out, share your thoughts, and let’s shape better strategies together. 👉 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹! Stay tuned for new content about startups and innovation every Sunday, 8h30 CET! #Startups #VentureCapital #Innovation #DeepTech #Biotech

You got an offer from Amazon — but you’re still mid-process with Apple. What now? This is one of the most common scenarios I coach clients through. After 350+ tech negotiations, here’s the playbook I recommend: 1/ Delay Amazon (without losing momentum) → Show genuine enthusiasm → Ask for more time to make a thoughtful decision Script: "Thank you again for the offer - really excited about Amazon and this team. What I'm struggling with is how I can make this life changing decision in 48 hours? If the deadline could be extended, that would give me the time I need to make an educated decision here." 2/ Speed up Apple (without sounding threatening) → Reiterate strong interest → Let them know you’re other opportunities are ramping up (avoid saying "I have another offer" unless you're ready to share all the details) → Frame it around wanting to make a fully informed decision Script: “I’m very excited about the opportunity at Apple and have loved meeting everyone on the team. I want to let you know that some of my other opportunities are ramping up and I'm a little concerned around timelines. If next steps could possibly be expedited, that would greatly help me since Apple is one of my top choices." This approach signals that you’re a strong candidate — and that you’re managing your options professionally. It also gives both companies the clarity they need to act. The best negotiators don’t just juggle numbers — they manage timing just as strategically. Have you ever been in a timeline squeeze like this? What did you do?

My Nani recently taught me to Negotiate like a pro! In the world of law, negotiation is part of the job. Whether you’re finalising licensing terms, settling infringement claims, or responding to a cease-and-desist, success often depends not just on what you say—but when you say it. Surprisingly, the best negotiation lesson I’ve ever learned didn’t come from a courtroom or a law textbook. It came from my nani (grandmother), recently during a casual chat. She told me: “When shopping for non-essentials like clothes, always go early, just as the shop opens. Shopkeepers—especially in places like Rajasthan—believe the first boni (sale) sets the tone for the whole day. They’ll go the extra mile to make sure you buy something.” Then she added: “But for essentials like vegetables, go in the evening. The last boni is just as important. Vendors don’t want to take unsold stock home, so they’ll be more flexible with prices.” It sounds like simple shopping advice. But it’s really a masterclass in understanding timing, psychology, and incentive. As an IP lawyer, I’ve seen how this principle plays out professionally too. Timing an offer just before a product launch, or during a funding round, can shift the entire dynamic while closing the client. Nani’s wisdom boils down to this: Negotiate when the other party wants the deal more than you do. Simple, powerful, and still true. Do you agree to this housetale tip? Comment or dm! #negotiation #law #legal #lawyertips #strategy #learning

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 M𝐨𝐯𝐞? One of my mentees recently asked, "When’s the right time to negotiate my salary?" It’s a great question, and the timing can make all the difference in securing the compensation you deserve. Here’s why timing is crucial: 🔷 Negotiating too early can make you seem desperate. 🔷 Waiting too long might mean missing out on opportunities. So, when should you negotiate? 1. During Job Offers This is your golden moment! Negotiating at this stage means you’re in demand. Don’t just accept the first offer—make it clear that you’re evaluating the full package. Tip: Know the market rate for your role and highlight your unique value. 2. During Appraisals Performance reviews are the most natural time for a salary conversation. You’ve already proven your worth with results, so this is your opportunity to align your compensation with your contributions. Tip: Prepare a strong case—use specific achievements and how they’ve impacted the organization. 3. After Major Achievements You just closed a big deal or led a successful project? That’s your cue. Highlighting accomplishments makes it harder for your employer to deny your value. Tip: Be sure to have the conversation soon after the achievement, while the impact is fresh in everyone’s mind. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: ✔️Visibility: If your performance is in the spotlight, leverage it to bring up compensation. ✔️Company Financial Health: If your company is doing well financially, it’s easier to ask for more. ✔️Positioning: If you’ve been with the company for a while and are delivering above and beyond, now’s the time to negotiate. Tip: Timing isn’t just about when—it’s also about how you present your case. Be prepared, back it up with data, and align your request with the company’s goals. The right time to negotiate is when your value is undeniable. Timing it right can set the stage for the compensation you truly deserve. _______________________ ↔️ ______________________ 👉 Follow Shrijith Krishnan🥇 for such growth strategies. 👉 Join The Career Excellence League ________________________ ↔️ ______________________ #midcareer #salary #careergrowth #leadership