Our final #BookClub from Negotiating 101 looks to seal the deal by understanding how energy impacts results and the power in our position as a coach.
Negotiating 101: Body-Language
Each interaction during a negotiation can help uncover true feelings, hidden agendas, or consequently lead to misinterpretations. For this #BookClub post I'll share a story from personal experience to allow coaches to digest and consider what their reactions would be if in a similar situation. This does leave an open interpretation to how coachable I may have been during my playing days.
Negotiating 101: Preparation
The coaches come to the table - or locker room - for a team meeting to negotiate the terms of the off-season. At the scholastic level student-athletes plans are set in place, versus professionals, that may choose to participate in summer leagues or rest. The negotiations aren't necessarily between what the expectations are rather than an alignment of energy invested into the off-season. Therefore it is a matter of what must happen in order for team success to occur versus what each party wants to accomplish.
Negotiating 101: Bartering
Are you a salesman or a negotiator?
This might depend upon the context of the situation. Sales tends to have a negative connotation, while negotiating seems to infer self-advocacy. Regardless of role or level, Negotiating 101 is a lesson all of us could benefit from as coaches.
How To Be Here: It All Matters
Stay attentive to the details that matter and continue to remove clutter. In the end, we are all taking a risk and depending how you look at the details in the moment; we will move forward in the right direction.
How To Be Here: Create & Craft
A coaching philosophy, or an imitation of blank canvas turn to style of play. Some days we develop writers block. On others, there is not enough time in the day to get everything done. These preparations are an example of creative applications.
Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw
Covering the final chapter of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. How much time do we spend chipping away during a season without thinking back to sharpen the tools? Think smarter, not harder.
Habits Five & Six: Understand & Synergy
Effective communication start with listening. Learn about empathic listening from Habit 5 and how synergy puts it all together with Habit 6.
Habits Three & Four: Management & Victory
Covering Habit 3 ("First Things First") and Habit 4 ("Win/Win") we start talking about going from a plan in place to the physical steps taken to be successful.
First Two Habits: Proactive & End in Mind
Perspective is powerful. And as it relates to our actions it often starts with our perspective - paradigm - on the situation. Often the most skilled athletes are the most proactive. This could include getting up additional shots, asking questions to those with more experience, or identifying other ways to learn (e.g. film or social media). It could be inferred that those same athletes considered most proactive have a higher level of confidence in the agency of their future outcomes, not bound to any pre-determined outcome.
Coach's Climb 