A Masterclass for Leaders Delivering Complex Technology & Transformation Programs

Practical negotiation skills for when technology programs get into trouble.

A practical, real-world masterclass for resolving commercial escalations, managing conflict, and protecting critical commercial relationships.


Built on 25+ years of frontline experience — and designed for project and transformation leaders to rely on when things go wrong.

Technology projects don’t fail because of technology — they fail when expectations, governance, and commercial clarity break down under pressure.

The Negotiating Escalations program focuses on the negotiation and management skills leaders need when escalation is unavoidable.

WHAT IS THE NEGOTIATING ESCALATIONS MASTERCLASS PROGRAM ?

It is a high-impact masterclass program for project and transformation leaders who lead, manage, or support complex technology and business transformation programs.

It focuses on the practical negotiation skills required to handle real escalation scenarios, including:

✔️ escalating client concerns
✔️ delivery pressure and blame
✔️ misaligned expectations
✔️ refusal-to-pay situations

✔️ difficult conversations under pressure
✔️ commercial disputes that threaten delivery

This isn’t theory.

It is the real negotiation playbook developed by Ashley Saltzman, drawn from over 25+ years of hands-on leadership, resolving hundreds of escalations for SAP, IBM, and Accenture.

WHO IS THE PROGRAM FOR?

It is designed for anyone in a client-facing role who is brought in to an escalation discussion. This masterclass helps leaders at all levels — project, delivery, sales and relationship — who want to build and strengthen their commercial judgement and confidence.

  • Program Directors and Delivery Leads

  • Project Managers and PMO Leaders

  • Client Engagement and Account Managers

  • Architects, Functional Leads, and Technical SMEs

If your role requires you to handle tension, conflict and commercial pressure — the Negotiation Escalations program is designed to help you do that better.

And it doesn’t matter whether you’re delivering SAP, Oracle, Salesforce, Microsoft, or any enterprise program, the negotiation challenges and escalation dynamics are the same.

WHAT YOU’LL WALK AWAY WITH

✔ Practical negotiation skills for when projects get into trouble

✔ A clear framework and structured way to approach escalations calmly and commercially

✔ Greater confidence for tough conversations with unhappy stakeholders

✔ Clarity on how to regain control, rebuild trust, and move delivery forward

WHY IT WORKS

The Negotiating Escalations program works because it reflects how negotiation actually plays out in complex programs with live role plays using real-life situations.

The role-plays teach every attendee about the preparation required. Ashley shows them how to develop a winning negotiation strategy, how to execute the strategy and how to deal with the unknowns and surprises that so often are experienced in a boardroom situation.

Ashley shares his tips and insights on how to perform in these high stakes and high pressure meetings, deal with competing priorities and unclear accountability, manage emotional clients, defensive delivery teams and real commercial exposure.


You will learn how to cut through the noise and steer difficult situations toward fair, workable outcomes.

FORMAT & DELIVERY

The Negotiating Escalations content is flexible and can be delivered as:

‣ a 90-minute executive keynote

‣ a half-day deep dive, or

‣ a full-day masterclass for project teams and leaders

Sessions can be delivered online or in person.

About Ashley Saltzman


Projects don’t need more theory — they need someone who has been in the room when relationships fracture and millions are at stake.

I’ve spent more than 25 years helping organisations rescue business and digital transformation programs when the stakes are high and the pressure is real.

Today, as Accenture’s Lead Negotiator in its Global Resolution Excellence Centre, I’m called in when a major program gets into trouble — facing commercial escalations or disputes that the project team can’t resolve on their own.

Over my career at Accenture, SAP, and IBM, I’ve led the negotiations and resolution of multi-million-dollar escalations and rebuilt critical relationships under intense pressure.

Along the way I earned the nickname “the man who defuses bombs,” because I specialise in turning potential crises into workable solutions with fair, balanced outcomes for all parties.

My purpose through my Negotiating Escalations program is simple: to share the skills and experience leaders need — but are rarely taught — so they can handle these situations with confidence.

Want to know more about?

Contact Ashley here to discuss the Negotiating Escalations masterclass program for your teams.