Handling Disputes

In any post-deal management, there are always disagreements on how to get things done. Each side will have varying beliefs about what is permissible and what is not regarding contracts, legislation, or risk tolerance. Execute this play to settle disputes and arrive at an objective solution peacefully.

Play by

Emma Barton

Director, Alliance and Integration Management at AstraZeneca

About the play

This play is designed to settle disputes objectively.

Preparation

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People

The parties involved in the dispute, corporate development, and business leaders.

Difficulty

Medium

Materials

Open mindset, pen, paper, communication skills.

Time

1 hour

Running the Play:

Interview the parties involved in the dispute

Ask their “what”

Hear both sides of the coin and understand their position.

Understand their “why”

Why do they believe in their stand? Why did they take that position? Identify what the cause of the reasons is.

What is their driver?

What drives their “why”? Do any of them have a precedent that backs up their position? Do they have any experience where the matter has been an issue? Gather data before arriving at a resolution.

Objective resolution

The goal is to solve the problem collaboratively. Objectively understand what the decision will mean for each company, identify the risks and costs they will be taking, and the impact on their timeframes.