Leaders learn to negotiate, compromise, and collaborate, rather than acquiesce (see the Conflict Reactions poster).  In such conversations, most of us will have experienced the “flinch” used by the buyer to rattle the seller.  Sometimes referred to as “sticker shock,” it oftentimes sounds something like “What!  You’re going to charge me how much for that?”  If you were the one setting forth the idea or product, you know the power of that response on your pricing confidence.

This poster has the parallel strategy used by the seller/leader to rattle the buyer/follower.  Sometimes referred to as “the crunch,” it happens when the seller/leader hears a comment from the buyer/follower to which s/he doesn’t agree.  Without saying a word, s/he fills his/her cheeks with air, shakes his/her head from left to right, and slowly expels the air from their mouth. Sometimes they might even turn their chair away from the buyer.

This can then be followed by the seller stating from his non-emotional Adult Ego State (see the poster Transactional Analysis) the phrase “That could be a problem.”

If done correctly, the buyer/follower will typically respond, “What’s wrong?” and the conversation is off to a position more in keeping with the desires of the seller/leader.

A strong leader knows when to use the “Blow and Go” strategy to reach a win/win compromise or collaboration with his/her followers.  Just as s/he doesn’t want his/her followers to end up losing in a negotiation neither does s/he.