Power: it doesn’t matter who you are, it matters when you are and how you are
There may be several options that will be determined by the specifics of your own situation. Take time to consider them, and use them to your advantage. Above all, don’t forget that if you want someone to believe you have power, you need to behave as though you believe it too.
In negotiation, who you are (your size, your brand name, your reputation – or relative lack of these) doesn’t necessarily determine the power you may or may not have. More important is to understand when you are negotiating (and the impact that time may have, positively or negatively, on your own and your counterparty’s power), and how the circumstances of yourself and your counterparty may affect where power sits.
If you can understand the impact of time and circumstances on your negotiation, on yourself, and your counterparty, the effect can be to dramatically shift the power balance away from what might seem an obviously more powerful opponent. In these circumstances, a far smaller, less significant player in the market can suddenly find themselves with a higher, and entirely disproportionate level of power.
Theresa May
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One area where this frequently occurs is politics. In May 2017 in the UK, the Conservative leader and Prime Minister, Theresa May, took the decision to hold a snap general election, only two years after the previous one. Arguably buoyed by positive opinion polls in the April that showed a 20 point lead for the Conservatives, and with a desire to secure a clear majority in parliament to aid her negotiations over the process of exiting the European Union (‘Brexit’), she felt confident she would succeed. For a variety of reasons this failed to materialise, and the result was a hung parliament, with the
Conservatives losing 13 seats whilst the Labour party gained 30. In order to shore up her support, she opted to do a deal with an Irish political party, The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who, from being a very minor player on the political landscape, suddenly found themselves with some real power. They used this power to their advantage and in the negotiation to agree their support for the Conservatives they secured £1bn in financial support and potential new tax powers. The pressure of both time and circumstance had acted to shift the balance of power in the negotiations over to the far
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smaller DUP and away from the UK’s dominant political party.
This understanding of the impact of time and circumstances, of how to really get inside the head of the counterparty, reflects the classic David and Goliath story. Taking time to appreciate where the opportunities to swing the balance of power in your favour may be, even against a seemingly undefeatable opponent, can allow small players to accomplish great things.
Tyrells took on Tesco in the UK
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In 2006, Tyrells, a privately owned UK crisp manufacturer with a turnover at the time of just £10m, took on Tesco, who was at the height of its dominance of the UK grocery market with turnover of £39.5bn, in a dispute over the stocking of its products.
A classic David vs Goliath. Tyrells had established its premium price business through supplying a network of 6,000 small, independent retailers and upmarket grocery retailer, Waitrose, and did not want its products stocked in Tesco. Tesco stocked them anyway. Sourced from the grey market they sold the brand at a discounted price in 70 of its stores. Tyrells appointed lawyers to examine their options. Shortly after, Tesco agreed to stop selling its lines. A victory for David over Goliath. But how did ‘little’ Tyrells manage to succeed against this much bigger opponent? Certainly part of their success was due to the time they took to understand Tesco’s circumstances. T
he day before they agreed to Tyrells’ position, Tesco had launched a major initiative to boost links with small suppliers to address its image problem in this area – a focus and commitment that the retailer has continued very successfully to the present day, transforming its image and results. Tesco wisely recognised that, whilst they wanted to supply its customers with the products, continuing its dispute with Tyrells would have sent conflicting messages.
Tyrells recognised that this had shifted the balance of power in its favour. Five years later, after rapid growth, Tyrells could be found on the shelves of 450 Tesco stores at its intended premium price.
Negotiation planning
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In your negotiation planning, when considering how much power you do or don’t have, take a step back and review the situation objectively. In his book ‘Getting Past No’, William Ury describes the concept of going to the balcony to allow yourself to look at a situation from a new vantage point and from there gain a different perspective. He was discussing this specifically in relation to resolving conflicts, but it is equally applicable to the understanding of how to shift the balance of power in your favour.
This idea complements perfectly the concept we discuss on our workshops of getting inside the other party’s head. Only by doing this can you truly hope to identify how to optimise your power, either by recognising the weaknesses in the other party created by time and circumstance, or by appreciating your own weaknesses caused by the same factors, therefore ensuring these can never be exploited by the other side.
When it comes to understanding where the balance of power lies, there is one thought to keep front and centre at all times: You are far more equal than you think you are. As soon as you forget this, power starts to ebb away, because you are literally giving it to the other party. It’s the perception of where the balance of power lies that is key. Your challenge as a negotiator is to keep the perceived balance of power in your favour for as long and as broadly as you can, within the matters under negotiation.
How do you do that?
There may be several options that will be determined by the specifics of your own situation. Take time to consider them, and use them to your advantage. Above all, don’t forget that if you want someone to believe you have power, you need to behave as though you believe it too.
Business
Inside Cat Cafe Manchester, as a dozen fluffy felines pounce into their new palace
Emily Sergeant
Cat Cafe Manchester will soon be ready to open the doors to its new home in the city centre, and we’ve got a sneak peak for you.
Get ready to meet your 12 new best friends.
Barton Arcade was already one of Manchester‘s most stunning buildings as it is, but now a dozen new fluffy felines have moved in too, taking over the old Classic Football Shirts site on Deansgate with climbing frames, scratch posts, cat trees, squishy sofas, and plenty (emphasis on the plenty) of ledges that are perfect for perching on.
You may remember that Cat Cafe Manchester was a beloved venue in the Northern Quarter, opening all the way back in 2016 before sadly having to close in 2021 following unavoidable economic struggles brought about by the pandemic.
But now they’re back, and they’re cuter than ever… you can absolutely take our word for it.
Cat Cafe Manchester is getting ready to open at the end of this month / Credit: The Manc Group
After announcing in January 2025 that they would be making a grand return to the city, the Cat Cafe staff have been spending the past year making sure their new home is perfect (purrfect… if you will) ready for the cats to begin moving in – which they have been doing over this past week, gradually being introduced to each other in intervals to make sure they all get on.
From Maine Coons Ottie and Heathcliff, and fluffy sisters Yumi and Yoki, to Uno the adventurous Bengal, beautiful Gracie the Ragdoll, and Emerson the proud British Shorthair, it’s clear to see that all 12 residents have been making themselves at home ready for the official opening on Saturday 30 May.
“Our mission is to make animal assisted therapy accessible on the high street,” Cat Cafe says in a mission statement on its website.
“We aim to support urban communities by offering inclusive, calm and relaxing spaces in what can be a busy, crowded and over-stimulating world. The purpose of Cat Cafe is to help people feel better.”
The 12 fluffy felines have all started making themselves at home / Credit: The Manc Group
All the cats are still considered kittens at this point, and they will be ready for retiring and settling down once they turn five.
And of course, let’s not forget the ‘cafe’ part of the Cat Cafe too.
When you book your one-hour time slot from £14 per person, you’ll also get unlimited free hot and cold drinks included in your ticket price, and be able to order from a menu that includes everything from toasted teacakes and bacon sandwiches, to paninis, cakes, and ice creams – with options for a variety of dietary requirements.
As well as the general admission – which is open to children aged 10 and over – Cat Cafe Manchester will also be offering adult-only sessions, child-friendly hours for those between the ages of four and nine, and will even host book clubs, film nights, and craft nights too.
Dedicated subsidised hours for the SEN community and their carers are now open to book, so they have the opportunity to attend on a weekly basis, and birthday packages, celebration packages, afternoon tea, and private hire are also available.
Cat Cafe Manchester officially opens on Saturday 30 May, and you can find out everything you need to know and book your slot to visit online here.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Business
Dujour Bakehouse: yet more proof of why tiramisu and banana pudding are having ‘a moment’
Danny Jones
Banana pudding and tiramisu might be two of the biggest foodie phenomena around right now, and while each has a long history of its own, Greater Manchester’s fascination with them seems to be only just beginning, to the point where you have places like Dujour dedicated entirely to the duo.
Dujour Bakehouse, to give them their full name, is a story that started a few years ago, and whose latest chapter has seen them open up over at The Trafford Centre.
And upon paying our first visit, they had such a strong few hours that they were already running low on stock by the time we turned up.
Opening a simple stand within the Selfridges Foodall, the name might be a play on the French phrase for ‘of the day’, but make no mistake: this isn’t just here today and gone the next – they’re of the moment as these two ubiquitous desserts continue to dominate.
Popping up on the first floor of the large department store within the already giant collection of stores, Dujour is probably one of the smallest vendors within the entire shopping centre, but the somewhat unassuming yet classic-looking kiosk easily catches the eye.
In truth, it looks like a taste of France – what with the font and the striped canopy and signage that almost puts you in mind of a Parisian patisserie – and then you see the menu with just two items on it: banana pudding or tiramisu.
This makes for a relatively small operation, but the real fun is to be had with the toppings.
From all the sauces and toppings you’d usually expect with this sort of thing, to pretzels and even red velvet crumbs, this is about that extra little bit of decadence without going overboard.
There aren’t dozens of extras to choose from, so as to risk overindulging yourself and straying into sickly territory, but it easily satisfies any sweet tooth.
Being served in the takeaway, iced coffee-style cups also make it feel more grab-and-go, but don’t worry, the serving you get is plenty.
It’s also worth noting that this is very intentional, too; they have lots of experience running large-scale stuff, what with their dark kitchen in Bolton (where this all started back in November 2023) and their sadly short-lived setup in Leigh, but this feels like a conscious walk before running step.
They’ve clearly learned lots from both, and this latest venture does feel like it’s pitched perfectly, not only for the location but timing-wise, as well.
Yes, they may do way more at their OG unit, but this kiosk is very much capitalising on the ever-increasing craze and is already proving a hit even just with busy shoppers passing by.
Like with any trend, some people can’t stomach that saturation of a market, but we can safely say this Selfrigdes stand is one, well, we can more than comfortably stand.
If this sort of thing is right up your street, you’ll also be glad to know that they do wholesale and delivery across the region.
Once again, only a short trip out of the city centre or an easy option when you’re spending the day out shopping, this serves as yet another reminder that you should always venture out to the boroughs and find out what else Greater Manchester has on offer.
For instance, Rochdale Food and Drink Festival returns once again at the end of May to mark 10 years of the annual street eats celebration.
The Manc -
10th October 2020 
