"First, I want you to meet with Mr. Lerman again and still in person. I think it's important for a touch of face-to-face discussion, to make sure we're all on the same page. Can you set that up and do that once again for me?" Ciara asked, her voice firm but not unkind.
"Of course, I'll get right on it," Sheila replied, already reaching for her calendar. "When would you want me to meet with him? And where?"
"I'd like you to meet with him as soon as possible. How about tomorrow's afternoon? You can come to his office as always, or you both can meet somewhere neutral, like a restaurant or a hotel. I just want to make sure there is a productive conversation, without any distractions. What do you think?" Ciara asked, her voice thoughtful.
Sheila considered for a moment. "I think a neutral location would be best for the meet up. That way, neither of us will feel like we're on our home turf, and we'll both be more open to compromise." She replied, fielding out Ciara's thought.
"I agree. I think a restaurant would be a good choice, it's public enough that you both will be comfortable but private enough that you can have a confidential discussion. What about the new restaurant in town, the one with the excellent reviews? Would that work for you?" Ciara asked, sounding more confident now that they were making progress with theirtalk.
Sheila smiled, already getting engaged in theirtalk. "I think that's a great idea. The restaurant has a great reputation, and I know they have a private room that would be perfect for this kind of meeting. Shall I make the reservation for it?"
"Yes, please and make sure to request the private room specifically, I want to make sure there is the privacy that's needed. What time would you suggest? I want to make sure Mr. Lerman has enough time to prepare for the meeting, but I also don't want to take up too much of his time," Ciara said, her tone was reasoning and as well as respectful.
Sheila considered the options for a few seconds before replying. "How about 1:00 PM? That will give Mr. Lerman plenty of time to prepare, but it won't take up too much of his day. I'll call the restaurant and reserve the room now."
"Perfect. And while you're discussing the details, I also want to make sure we have a clear agenda for the meeting. I don't want it to be a free for all, where you both will end up talking about everything under the sun. I want you to keep it focused on the issue at hand, and I think having an agenda will help with that. Do you have any thoughts on that?" Ciara asked, her voice laced with purpose.
"I think we should start by clearly laying out the problem, and then brainstorming possible solutions. Once we've done that, we can narrow it down to a few potential solutions, and then discuss the pros and cons of each one. That way, we can come to a decision that makes sense for everyone involved. Does that sound like a good plan?" Ciara asked, sounding excited about the prospect of finding a workable solution.
Sheila nodded, even though Ciara couldn't see her. "I think that's an excellent plan. It's clear and focused, and it gives us a framework to work within." She doped out.
"Excellent! Now, I want to make sure you and Mr. Lerman both attend to the meeting prepared. You should be sure to bring all the relevant information about the situation, and I'll make sure to confirm and understand all the details. You should also be prepared to take notes so that we can refer to them later if needed. What will you bring to the meeting?" Ciara asked, sounding eager to hear what Sheila had to say.
"I'll bring my full attention, of course! But I'll also bring my problem solving skills, my creativity, and my ability to see things from different perspectives. I think we must approach this meeting with an open mind, and that we're willing to consider all the possibilities. I think that if we can do that, we'll be able to come up with a solution that works for everyone. Does that sound like a suitable approach?" Sheila asked, eager to make sure they were on the same page.
She wasn't pleased with their last meeting and how it turned out and this time, she could only hope they make progress with it and Mr. Lerman is getting to go with their terms and proposal.
"It sounds like a great approach to me. Now, I think it's important that we also consider the human element of this situation." Ciara said, pausing for a while.
"Mr. Lerman is a person, and I think it's important to treat him with respect and empathy. I know this is a difficult situation for him, and I want to make sure we're mindful of that. Do you agree?" Ciara asked, her voice gentle and understanding.
She couldn't even tell why she had said that when she what the opposite of her words for him. To her, he deserves no empathy from her nor worthy of being respected -but she has to take her revenge on him through business process, she knew it's well-needed of her and her employees else, things would only get worse for them, and she'll lose to him completely.
"Of course, I do, ma'am." Sheila's simple reply snapped her off her train of thoughts.
Ciara had almost forgotten what she had to say as she cleared her throat lightly. "I think that covers the most important things to remember when having a difficult conversation. But I'd also like to add one last thing - remember to smile and be friendly."
"Even when things get difficult, a simple smile can go a long way and also, a warm and friendly tone can help us all feel more at ease, even in a difficult situation. Does that make sense?" Ciara asked, her tone encouraging and supportive.
"Yes, ma'am." She nodded curtly, forgetting the fact that Ciara wasn't with her. "This time, I think it'll be more appropriate if Milan should go with him -this will also be cleared to him on how serious we are with our offer and proposal."
"Sure. Do inform Milan beforehand too." Ciara uttered airily.
The mobile phone on Sheila's desk buzzed and beeped, flashing light on it screen -a mail had just come in and Sheila checked it heading, it was from the Lerman's company.
"I think I just received a mail from their company now, ma'am." She said into the receiver.
"Just a few moments, I need to figure out what the mail is all about, ma'am." Sheila did check it content, she was surprised at it, but it was enough to make her lips curled into a soft smile too.
"Ma'am, I see Mr. Herman already had a change of mind." Sheila said, immediately, she picked up the receiver again. "He has given in to the new offer, he is ready to sell 65% as you have requested, ma'am..."
Ciara, on the other side, was perplexed. 'Why does he suddenly have a change of mind...？'