10 Preparation Points

Who ? ( People )
Relationships @ table : You met a French designer, Camille Drouel, last year
during a specialized forum. He was starting to make a name for his own agency,
Cam’s Design. You got along well with him and exchanged contact addresses.
You just sent him an email, hoping this talented person could give you the names
of potential candidates. Surprisingly enough, Camille Drouel answered that he
was personally interested in the position.

Mandate : Conscious of the risk, the CEO assigned you a very clear mission:
you have to find a way to replace the HDO within a month and for a maximum
salary of €15,000 per month (which you personally consider excessive). You
talked about it discreetly with the administrative and finance director, who earns
more than you do, but reckons that “paying € 15,000 for a star of design who will
behave like a diva is just trying to be pleased for the sake of it”). The leaving
HDO was getting €10,000, and his 5 hiring salary was €6,000 ten years ago (in
current euros). Everything else can be envisaged, provided that the CEO gives his
agreement.

Stakeholders : This unit is composed by a team of approximately ten draftsmen

and technicians, who realize the plan of the pieces to be produced following the
HDO’s drawings.

What ? (Problems)
Motivations/Objectives : to look for an external experienced designer who
knows your sector, who is fluent in English and if possible in Italian, and above
all, who could take on the vacancy immediately. To put it in another way: to find
the man in a million. You have already contacted a head-hunter who concludes:
“given the market situation, you won’t find anybody who is worth it before three
months and not for less than € 12,000”.

Solutions @ table : To look for an external experienced designer who knows

your sector, who is fluent in English and if possible in Italian, and above all, who
could take on the vacancy immediately. To put it in another way: to find the man
in a million. Camille Drouel might be betting on Fabiessi’s sound financial
situation to negotiate a high salary.
Justifications : Of course, having a rather “young man” in charge of Fabiessi’s
design is risky. But, if Camille Drouel could take the job right away, he would
get you out of the spot.

SAFT : An internal solution exists, although it does not satisfy you fully. The
HDO had an assistant who has been working in the company for 13 years. He
knows the catalog and the technical characteristics of the products by heart.
Although design-wise, you doubt his ability to innovate and to meet your
customers’ expectations. The sales director agrees on this point. The HDO
assistant gets paid €5,000. The production director informed you about an
additional problem: the ex- HDO’s assistant aims at the HDO position and if it
was to be given to somebody else, the atmosphere could become electric.

How ? (Process)

▪ Organization : Key points in this rather simple negotiation are: timing,

agenda (which points should be addressed? In which order?), and
deliverable (what should be the outcome of the meeting? Is it a final
decision, or is it a “next step”, such as meeting in Milan?).

▪ Communication :
The following items should be considered:

• Information to share, and NOT to share

• Questions to ask the other, and questions to expect from the other
• How to frame the situation?

▪ Logistics : As the meeting is taking place in Paris, the location could be

CD’s office (if he agrees), or in a café, or in the HRD’s hotel (provided this
secures the discretion of the discussion). A working lunch could provide
more friendly an environment.