Escalation: Difference between revisions

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{{a|negotiation|}}
{{a|negotiation|}}When a young [[negotiator]] engaged in a contractual workflow encounters a challenge beyond her mandate to approve she [[Escalation|escalates]]. She may escalate ''[[vertical escalation|upwards]]'', to her own [[line manager]], if it is a call within her domain but beyond her pay-grade, or ''[[horizontal escalation|horizontally]]'', to another [[risk controller]], if the risk item is beyond her own department’s mandate, but one of credit, market or trading risk.
===Process escalations===
When a young [[negotiator]] engaged in a contractual workflow encounters a challenge beyond her mandate to approve she [[Escalation|escalates]]. She may escalate ''upwards'', to her own line manager, if it is a legal call beyond her pay-grade, or ''horizontally'', to another [[risk controller]], if the risk is not legal, but one of credit, market or trading risk.


[[Escalation]], of either kind, is a key, and underestimated, feature of the [[negotiation]] process. It is rife with oubliettes, resentment and aggravation. It is redolent of, and apt to, generate the kind of emotions one experiences when one is being driven up the wall.
[[Escalation]], of either kind, is a key, and underestimated, “feature” of the [[negotiation]] process. It is rife with resentment and [[ennui]] and studded with bottomless oubliettes down which your query can fall, or be stuffed, it always being a safer tactic for an escalat''ee'' to [[ignore]], rather than act on, a request for a decision, if there is any prospect that question might just go away. In the modern organisation, many do.


At the very least an escalation will take time. It will languish in an inbox. It will comprise the un-knitted air of an un-returned phone call or an ignored chat. This process will last for days or weeks. Then, when the awaited answer arrives, it is never quite the one the enquirer seeks. {{sex|She}} may seek further input from another colleague, initiating the launch sequence for an [[escalation circle]]. It may partially answer the question, or ambiguously, or in terms so vague that the enquirer isn't sure wheat to do next. and it may be so obviously couched in the language of slidery that the enquirer is sort afraid to take it at face value. “[[At this stage]] I would be [[inclined]] [[I don't disagree with you|not to disagree]] with this view”
As for the escalat''or'', the best-case scenario is that an [[escalation]] will only take {{wasteprov|time}}; languishing in an inbox, or buried deep in a to-do list. It will comprise the un-knitted air of an un-returned phone call or an ignored chat. This process will last for days or weeks. Then, when the awaited answer arrives, it is never quite the one the enquirer seeks. {{sex|She}} may seek further input from another colleague. She may initiating the launch sequence for an [[escalation circle]]. She may partially answer the question, or ambiguously, or in terms so vague that the escalator isn't quite sure what to do next. Her answer may be so obviously couched in the language of slidery that the escalator is sore afraid to take it at face value: “[[At this stage]] I would be [[inclined]] [[I don't disagree with you|not to disagree]] with this view”


{{box|Working theory: The very '''fact''' of an [[escalation]]—the very interposition of an approval step, ''in itself'', in which one part of the [[meatware]] shunts a problem to another part of the [[meatware]]—causes more in aggregate delay, confusion, aggravation and second-order bureaucracy than is ''ever'' solved by the resolution it promises to deliver.}}
This all leads to ...


===[[Sales]] escalations===
{{fourth law of worker entropy}}
Usually as a result of some wild goose chase convened by [[sales]] to chase [[revenue projection|illusory revenues]], and the fact that they’ve come to you means they’ve failed to persuade a more cautious soul and they think you’re a soft touch.


{{draft}}
{{draft}}


{{Seealso}}
{{sa}}
*The [[laws of worker entropy]]
*[[Compliance arbitrage]]
*[[Compliance arbitrage]]
*[[Circle of escalation]]
*[[Circle of escalation]]

Latest revision as of 21:25, 15 January 2021

Negotiation Anatomy™

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When a young negotiator engaged in a contractual workflow encounters a challenge beyond her mandate to approve she escalates. She may escalate upwards, to her own line manager, if it is a call within her domain but beyond her pay-grade, or horizontally, to another risk controller, if the risk item is beyond her own department’s mandate, but one of credit, market or trading risk.

Escalation, of either kind, is a key, and underestimated, “feature” of the negotiation process. It is rife with resentment and ennui and studded with bottomless oubliettes down which your query can fall, or be stuffed, it always being a safer tactic for an escalatee to ignore, rather than act on, a request for a decision, if there is any prospect that question might just go away. In the modern organisation, many do.

As for the escalator, the best-case scenario is that an escalation will only take time; languishing in an inbox, or buried deep in a to-do list. It will comprise the un-knitted air of an un-returned phone call or an ignored chat. This process will last for days or weeks. Then, when the awaited answer arrives, it is never quite the one the enquirer seeks. She may seek further input from another colleague. She may initiating the launch sequence for an escalation circle. She may partially answer the question, or ambiguously, or in terms so vague that the escalator isn't quite sure what to do next. Her answer may be so obviously couched in the language of slidery that the escalator is sore afraid to take it at face value: “At this stage I would be inclined not to disagree with this view”

This all leads to ...

The JC’s fourth law of worker entropy: The very fact of an escalation—the very interposition of an approval step, in itself, in which one part of the meatware shunts a problem to another part of the meatware—causes more in aggregate delay, confusion, aggravation and second-order bureaucracy than is ever solved by the resolution it promises to deliver.

See also