Win the meeting — without losing control.
A rapid-access, behind-the-scenes advisory service for newly appointed CEOs preparing for critical stakeholder conversations — such as with lenders, PE owners, boards, regulators, anchor clients, unions, or key suppliers — where the outcome will directly impact their ability to stabilise the business or assert their leadership.
🎯 Purpose
To help a CEO prepare for — and prevail in — high-pressure negotiations by:
- Clarifying objectives
- Mapping stakeholder positions
- Reframing value arguments
- Pre-empting objections and traps
- Practising delivery and tone
- Securing leverage without creating backlash
👤 Ideal Use Cases
| Situation | CEO Challenge |
|---|---|
| Bank meeting post-covenant warning | “How do I avoid triggering a formal restructuring or losing the bank’s confidence?” |
| PE owner demands performance action | “They want blood — I need to look proactive but stay in control.” |
| Key supplier pushback | “We need better terms, but can’t afford to lose them.” |
| Union or workforce tensions | “We must make headcount cuts, but retain morale and reputation.” |
| Board division on direction | “I need to win alignment without blowing up trust.” |
| Anchor customer contract renewal | “They’re demanding lower prices and better service — at the worst time.” |
📦 Service Components
1. Strategy Session (60–90 mins)
Confidential Zoom session with CEO to clarify:
- The stakes
- The opposing party’s motivations
- The range of possible outcomes
- Deal-breaking vs. negotiable terms
- Hidden power dynamics
- Where confidence gaps exist
Output: Negotiation Brief (1-pager)
2. Narrative & Positioning Advisory
You co-develop the CEO’s talking points, with emphasis on:
- Framing the situation in their favour
- Anchoring with facts and moral authority
- Handling defensive or aggressive responses
- Sequencing the “asks”
- Choosing what not to say
Output:
- Talk track outline (PDF)
- “Reframe the Room” Script Deck (optional, 3–5 slides)
3. Pre-Call Rehearsal or Live Shadowing (Optional)
- CEO walks through their plan — you offer tone, structure, and language feedback
- Optionally join the actual call (silent advisor or recorded review)
- Provide debrief guidance and second-wave follow-up actions
Output: Confidence Scorecard + Recovery Playbook (if call goes off-track)
🧠Tools + IP
- Negotiation Brief template
- Stakeholder Power Map framework
- 7 Negotiation Archetypes Matrix (e.g., “The Hostile Investor”, “The Ambivalent Board”, “The Trapped Banker”)
- Reframe Prompts (for de-escalating tense moments)
- Tactical concession grid (What/When/To Whom/Framed As)
đź•’ Delivery Format
| Component | Format |
|---|---|
| Briefing Session | Zoom, recorded |
| Async Strategy Review | Shared doc/slides |
| Coaching/Rehearsal | Zoom or async video review |
| Turnaround Time | 2–3 days max from inquiry to readiness |
Time-sensitive and responsive by design. You are on call for 3–5 day windows.
đź’° Pricing
| Tier | Includes | Price (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Core | 1 strategy session + brief + 1 async follow-up | £3,500 – £5,000 |
| Pro | + Rehearsal + deck + on-call for 72 hours | £7,500 – £9,500 |
| Mission-Critical | + Live meeting shadowing + full follow-up playbook | £12,000 – £15,000 |
Can be sold Ă la carte or bundled with CEO Reset, Strategic Options Workshop, or Board Coaching.
đźš© CEO Pain Points Solved
| Symptom | How You Help |
|---|---|
| “I don’t know how hard I can push” | You build power maps and permission frameworks |
| “They’re going to blame me” | You defuse blame with context and constructive asks |
| “I’m not confident I’ll hold the line” | You coach them on tone, sequencing, and trapdoors |
| “There’s no good answer to their demand” | You build alternative offers or plausible pivots |
| “I might win the deal but lose the room” | You reframe for reputational and relational equity |