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
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
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
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
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
Petition launched to rebuild Hotspur Press in its ‘original form’ following devastating fire
Emily Sergeant
A petition has been launched to rebuild the Hotspur Press building in its ‘original form’ following the devastating fire last week.
In case you missed it, one of Manchester’s most historic landmarks has been left a shell of its former self after a huge fire erupted at the now-derelict Hotspur Press, which is on Cambridge Street beside Oxford Road train station, last Monday (23 June), destroying the iconic building that stood standing for more than 200 years.
It was subsequently declared a ‘major incident’ by authorities.
Thick black smoke clouds could be seen for miles over the city centre from around 4:30pm onwards and into the evening, as fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
BREAKING 🚨 Huge fire in Manchester city centre right now – historic Hotspur Press is ablaze with major disruption to trains out of Oxford Road #manchester#mcrpic.twitter.com/SnA52oiqxm
At the height of the blaze, two aerial units and more than 100 firefighters were working at the scene in warm and humid conditions.
But for the past couple of years now, before the building went up in flames, Hotspur Press was at the centre of redevelopment controversy, where planning permission was being sought to transform the building into high-rise student accommodation – and it’s these proposals that prompted the petition calling for an authentic rebuild to be set up.
That and the fact that it was announced towards the end of last week that Hotspur Press was to be part-demolished.
A petition has been launched to rebuild Hotspur Press in its ‘original form’ following the devastating fire / Credit: The Manc Group | Jonathan Boswell (Submitted)
Already racking up more than 400 signatures and counting, the petition calls for the historic building to be restored ‘faithfully and fully’.
“The recent fire has robbed Manchester of one of its most iconic and historic buildings, a cornerstone of the city’s skyline and industrial heritage,” the petition reads. “Hotspur Press was not just bricks and mortar, it was a living reminder of the city’s printing legacy, a symbol of Manchester’s character and soul.
“What we don’t need is another anonymous block of luxury flats that serve investors over residents.
“We are tired of seeing our history erased for profit. We demand that what is rebuilt reflects the identity, memory, and voice of the people who actually live here.”
The petition concluded: “Buildings like Hotspur Press carry the stories of the people who built this city – and they deserve more than neglect, fire, or demolition. Let this be the turning point. Rebuild Hotspur Press, and set a precedent for putting people, history, and place before profit.”
If you’re in support, you can find out more and sign the petition here.
Featured Image – Jonathan Boswell (Submitted)
Business
The latest on Salford Red Devils financial situation as ‘winding-up’ petition is adjourned
Danny Jones
The current situation at Salford Red Devils is far from ideal, with the rugby league team currently owing hundreds of thousands of pounds in debt, not to mention facing further stress over finances with players owed wages, key personnel leaving and remaining uncertainty over future ownership.
So, why is the board expressing reassurance among supporters following the recent adjournment of a ‘winding-up’ petition, and what exactly does this mean?
It is no doubt a complex issue, but with the season concluding in October and the Greater Manchester club essentially being given a stay of execution, for lack of a better phrase, it’s possible that a corner could hopefully be turned soon.
Here’s everything we know so far about the situation in Salford and where the Red Devils’ finances are currently at.
Salford Red Devils’ finances and more – explained
For a start, they’re late on payroll again this month.
Salford Red Devils players have been told they will not receive their salaries today.https://t.co/ofHTR0uZyN
According to recent reports, Salford Red Devils owe more than half a million pounds to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) at present, with current estimates said to be in the region of £600,000.
The Super League side has fallen into debt due to a number of factors: their own performance as a business, cuts to local funding and a period of spending in terms of recruitment and pre-season preparation under the assumption of a subsidy from Salford City Council (SCC).
However, this would-be uplift – despite it being promised late last year – never came as the Council (having already provided £315k in ‘immediate’ financial aid back in March 2024) U-turned on the decision after it was revealed further backing was not in the budget.
SCC ended up owing around £2 million itself after stepping in to save both SRD and fellow rugby league outfit Swinton Lions, handing out loans to both clubs even prior to purchasing Salford Community Stadium and the surrounding area.
The Council ultimately shelled out north of £7.7m to buy the ground and sever commercial ties with previous owners, Peel. They had hoped to further alleviate pressure on the club, but Salford Red Devils (SRD) had already spent the money they were expecting to receive on new players, training and more.
SRD were then told to sell off a number of players by the league.
With all this in mind, something called a ‘winding-up’ petition – basically a document sent by creditors that demands the immediate liquidation of a company/organisation that owes them money – was filed by HMRC back in May, with the tax authorities demanding payment of the outstanding sum.
However, special dispensation appears to have been made not only due to the complicated and unforeseen circumstances Salford have faced along the way, but also for the sake of the Rugby Football League (RFL) itself, with the Red Devils still seen as a valuable sporting and community asset.
One of those unexpected twists was the takeover by a new consortium led by Dario Berta, whose investment failed to clear in time and resulted in the club being hit with the financial sustainability problem that saw them cutbacks.
In a small bit of good fortune, it has now been decided that the petition to liquidate the SRD has been postponed, though not indefinitely.
As expected, there is good news that the winding-up petition filed by HMRC against Salford Red Devils has been successfully adjourned by the club's representatives in London until after the season has finished in September.
It's important to focus on supporting Salford as they…
— The Game Caller 🗣🎙📻 (@TheGameCaller) June 25, 2025
What could happen next?
The date for coughing up what debt they owe to the tax authorities has now been pushed back to September, meaning they have until then to find the finances, or else they could very well be made insolvent in a matter of months.
However, as per BBC Radio Manchester, those involved in the ongoing process are “confident” that bridging loans will be put in place over the coming days to keep HMRC at bay.
And, nevertheless, head coach Paul Rowley has insisted that he can see “green shoots” starting to emerge around the club, despite still sitting bottom of the table with just one win to their name.
What’s for sure is that the local area isn’t giving up on them, with numerous fundraisers and charity events being set up to help support the club via the official Salford Red Devils Foundation.
Fingers firmly crossed that there is light at the end of the tunnel.