Category: Negotiating 101

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.

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.

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.

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.