Look out! Duck!
What can a duck teach us about negotiation? More than you’d think.
Over six Foibley comic strips, we watched how a single shaky opening — delivered with charm, humor, and a little too much improvisation — reshaped the entire room.
That’s the point: in high-stakes conversations, openings aren’t small talk. They’re design. They set tone, frame legitimacy, and can make the difference between momentum and cleanup.
Check out “Look out! Duck!”
The eve of a negotiation always carries weight. The room is set. Observers are curious. The team is ready. But, we see a hint of unease. Something about the kickoff has Posey concerned.
The kickoff is moments away. The room is charged — polite, but tense. And then comes a curveball.
The “beloved executive” takes the floor. He’s funny, gregarious… and unpredictable. Sometimes that charm works. Other times, not so much. And now — without being part of any of the planning — he’s the one setting the stage for critical negotiations. What's his first move?
And there it is. The first move. A joke… About a duck. One that feels a little too close to home for the critical negotiations about to begin. See how the room reacts.
In negotiations, openings aren’t warm-ups. They’re signal-setting. Which is why, when the opener’s big duck joke hits the room… the ripples are instant. The cost of a shaky start shows up fast.
The problem with opening on a duck? You’re stuck with it. What started as a joke now hangs over the room — and the team is left cleaning up the mess. The finale of this comic series shows how one shaky opening can shape an entire negotiation.