Jean-Nicolas Reyt

I am an Associate Professor of Management at McGill University, where I teach Organizational Behavior and Negotiation.

27/01/2026

“I want to negotiate my job offer, but what if they rescind it?” 😬

I get this question all the time.

Students worry about it. Experienced professionals worry about it.

As a result, many people avoid negotiating altogether, which often leads to quiet regret later.

I was invited to contribute to CBC/Radio-Canada 9 to 5 column to address this fear.

Here is the deal: based on recruiter surveys and my own experience in the field, offers are almost never withdrawn simply because someone asked.

Where people do get into trouble is not negotiating, but how the conversation is framed.

❌ What you should NOT do: frame the negotiation as a list of strict demands

✅ What works better: frame the negotiation as a conversation about priorities and trade-offs

Instead of saying, “I need X and Y to accept,” try opening with, “Here are the things that matter to me. Where might there be flexibility?”

That framing keeps the discussion collaborative and makes trade-offs possible, while significantly reducing any real risk of an offer being rescinded.

You can find the column on the website, link in the comments.

Have a great day everyone,

JN

10/01/2026

Should workers be back in the office? Has returning to the office changed your work for better or worse?

These are the questions being asked tomorrow on Cross Country Checkup.

Return-to-office expectations are tightening across the country.

Some people welcome the shift. Others feel flexibility and trust are being rolled back.

I’ll be joining the conversation live on CBC, hosted by Ian Hanomansing, and hearing directly from Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Curious how you’ve experienced this shift.

Desautels Faculty of Management

08/01/2026

The hardest part about teaching a negotiation class today is not finding great simulations.

It is that the instructions, outcomes, and strategies of most classic simulations are now widely available online.

When teaching materials meant to be confidential are a Google search away, the learning experience inevitably suffers.

Not just for the student who shortcuts the work, but also for the counterpart negotiating with someone who already knows the script, and for the instructor trying to create a fair and immersive classroom.

The issue is not the quality of these simulations. They are excellent. The challenge is that they have been used so widely, and for so long, that confidentiality no longer holds.

A few years ago, I decided to respond to this problem by writing my own set of negotiation simulations. They are built around familiar negotiation situations, but placed in fresh contexts that are not publicly documented.

This is now the third semester that I am teaching my negotiation courses entirely through that set.

What stands out most is how much stronger the learning experience becomes when everyone truly starts on equal footing.

For colleagues interested in learning more, the simulations are available through Negotiation and Team Resources and iDecisionGames.

Happy winter semester, everyone.

And if this is your first winter in beautiful Montreal, be careful out there. Everything is slippery!

Desautels Faculty of Management

05/01/2026

Tomorrow marks the start of the Winter semester at the Desautels Faculty of Management ❄️

It is a good moment to remember that short days, long nights, and a full academic reset can quietly make this part of the year feel tougher than expected.

In the Organizational Behaviour (OB) Area, we spend a lot of time studying how people stay motivated and productive, especially under pressure.

I put together a short set of practical reminders for our students, and for anyone navigating this season.

What habits or small adjustments have helped you get through winter? Let’s share what works.

Have an amazing week,

JN

03/01/2026

A new year is a good moment to pause and reflect on the year that just passed.

For me, 2025 was eventful, with new administrative responsibilities at McGill University, exciting research encounters, and truly wonderful family moments.

I hope the year treated you well too, and that you are looking ahead to 2026 with projects that excite and energize you.

The past few years have also been demanding for the hashtag university system. In that context, I have been continually struck by the resilience, solidarity, and quiet dedication of colleagues, staff, and students across our institutions.

As we turn the page together, I wish you a joyful, healthy, and hopeful 2026.

Happy New Year,

JN