David, your offer is generous. I have myself acted mediator twice in this group, and both times with good results.
However, (reading between the lines and inferring from what I've been told) one of the board's concerns is simply stated that they won't get along with the Merlin TLP. To state it differently, the board thinks that in order to discuss anything with the Merlin team, they'd *need* a mediator. And the board doesn't want that. It wants to be able to talk directly to the TLP. So you see, "need a mediator" isn't a plus. If there had already been a TLP, the board might have considered a mediator in extreme cases. But to start a new TLP, when they needed a mediator to negotiate terms for that TLP? Forget it. The board would prefer no TLP to a TLP that comes about under such circumstances. It's like I would propose a marriage by means of telling my lawyer to tell *her* lawyer to ask her, since she hates my guts and won't talk to me. It's all backwards. The Merlin team has to show the board that they (Merlin team and board) can work together. Calling in a mediator isn't the way to do it. Do you see why your offer is rejected? I'm not on the board, BTW. David and Stephen, read: http://www.mcn.org/c/rsurratt/Negotiatetips.html Especially the BATNA. What is the NA in this case? What's the board's BATNA? What's yours? I think you'll find that you have a lot backwards. I can recommend "The Art and Science of Negotiation" by Raiffa, BTW. /LS --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
