About me
My name is Mauro Bagnato and for over 15 years I have been leading tech organizations.
When I first stepped into leadership, I believed technical expertise was the key to being an effective leader. However, I quickly learned that organizations are living and complex systems and that leading them demands much more than just technical know-how. I believe that curiosity is at the heart of effective leadership. This is what fuels learning and experimentation, both crucial for continuous improvement. This blog aims to explore engineering leadership in all its aspects and to provide insights in a tangible and pragmatic manner. It will also be a space where I will share insights, reflections, and personal takeaways from books, podcasts, and articles that influenced and keep influencing my journey.
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Popular articles
“Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury is a book about negotiation.
It is packed with practical strategies that are easy to understand and apply in both personal and professional contexts.
Here are three concepts that I found very insightful:
Bargaining over positions rarely works in negotiations.
When two parties lock themselves into their positions:
- negotiations can easily turn into a will-play, making it difficult to reach a mutual benefit
- personal relationships can get damaged
- future negotiations may be impacted because one party may feel mistreated.
For instance:
Party A. I believe I deserve a 10% salary increase and I will be very disappointed if I get less than that.
Party B. I can only offer a 5% raise.
Result. The situation is stalled!
Understanding the underlying interests leads to better negotiation outcomes.
Positions are often just surface-level demands, while interests reveal the real motivations. Once the interests are clear, more options become apparent, making it easier to find common ground.
How to uncover interests?
- Ask questions to understand the reasoning behind a specific position.
- Be open and transparent about your own interests to create the right environment for people to share theirs too.
For instance:
Party A. I believe I deserve a 10% salary increase and I will be very disappointed if I get less than that.
Party B. Our budget is tight this year so I can offer 5%. Why do you think you deserve 10%?
Party A. I’ve worked really hard and achieved all my goals. On top of that, I need to compensate for the increase in commuting costs.
Party B. You’ve done an excellent job, and I understand your concerns. While I can’t meet your exact expectations, would the option to work from home more days help with the commute costs?
Party A. Let me think and get back.
Result. Now the conversation is moving forward!
Knowing your BATNA can be a game changer in your negotiations.
Your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement is the fallback option you have if negotiations fail.
Understanding your BATNA gives you the power to negotiate from a stronger position.
For instance, before negotiating a job offer, you might realize that your BATNA could be:
- Staying at your current job (which is not that bad after all)
- Accepting the other offer you’ve got, or
- Taking that long-awaited and well-deserved sabbatical
A strong BATNA can be like a “safety net” that gives you the confidence to conduct a more demanding negotiation.
