If you weren’t able to catch our podcast on negotiation, you missed a good one, definitely worth listening to the whole thing! Check it out here.

We have  started a new segment of the podcast where we encourage our listeners to share what they are doing on a daily basis and we will reply, retweet, or promote the post if #thATsBusiness. We want to show how so much of what we do on an everyday basis has business intertwined with it.

Definition of negotiation: to try to reach an agreement or compromise — and we know from our management podcast that compromise should be fair to both sides. It’s important to distinguish between an argument and a negotiation. Arguments are an oral disagreement, verbal opposition, discussion involving differing sides. In a negotiation, an agreement is trying to be met, while in an argument, a point is trying to be proven.

Some overarching principles that apply to negotiation:

• Keep the discussion pointed at the end result
  • Frame the discussion around mutual interests, not just your own.
• Don’t take things personally, this is a business conversation
  • Remove your ego, be vulnerable. Discuss your concerns and be honest about what you want/ need from the position.
• Think about the value you add to the organization
  • Focus on responsibilities that increase safety, decrease risk, or reduce costs. Dr. Scott Sailor spoke about this on our second podcast.
• If it’s higher pay you are looking for, determine what you need the money for (rent/ mortgage increase, school loans, car repair, etc.)
• Merit increases can also be negotiated if higher pay isn’t available. Examples are more vacation days, more paid holidays, overtime, CEU reimbursement, etc.

Optimizing negotiating power – what to bring to the table:

• For already established positions:
  • NATA Value model (secondary school & college/ university)
  • Print out of services provided throughout the year (captured by your injury management system)
  • NATA salary survey, NATA Positions Improvement Guide
  • Examples of additional duties outside of athletic training (urine collection for drug testing, hydration testing, teaching, etc.)
  • How you have lowered liability (EAP, prevention programs, return to play/return to learn protocols, etc.)
  • Research other similar positions in your industry (other AT’s in your area, other similar positions, etc.)
• For creating new positions:
  • Education about what an AT is (NATA is a great resource)
  • Articles about ATs saving lives (google “athletic trainer saves life”)
  • NATA position proposal guide
  • Resume – create one for your company or use your personal one to show experience in the position you are pitching
  • Proposed Plan — how will you make an immediate impact (EAPs, reduced liability, educating parents/ coaches/ athletes, etc)

Who are some of the best negotiators? CHILDREN! Why they are so successful:

• They ask for everything, no concessions made up front. Simply, ask for more & you get more. — next time you’re entering into a negation, bring everything to the table, not just a few things.
• They don’t accept no as a final answer – they use it as a starting point. People typically have a negative reaction when they hear things for the first time, so don’t think that “no” has to be final or that another solution can’t be found.
• They form coalitions – opposite parent, grandparents, friends’ parents. And you should do the same! Use your research to find other ATs who are getting what you want or use the resources we’ve already mentioned, such as those on the NATA website.
• They play naive – ever see a kid who doesn’t want to do their homework, but somehow coerces their parents into sitting and doing it with them? All it takes is an “I don’t understand” or “I don’t know how to do this” and there the parent is. Take a lesson from their book, be vulnerable, admit the areas you are unaware of and ask for assistance to understand them. The people sitting on the other side of the table won’t be enticed to negotiate with a know-it-all.
• Kids are persistent – their tenacity is what eventually wears us down. As a popular quote states “a river cuts through a rock, not because of it’s power, but it’s persistence.” Continuing to reiterate why you want what you’re seeking and the validation behind it can wear down the argument of the other side.

 What can you do today to make your negotiating power higher; what documentation could you be utilizing; what questions could you be asking yourself, your employer, or your peers?