From Dreadlocks to Deadlocks - Winning ... - Business Negotiation

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'; div.innerHTML = summary; } //]]> From Dreadlocks to Deadlocks - Winning Strategies in the Manny Ramirez Negotiations From Dreadlocks to Deadlocks - Winning Strategies in the Manny Ramirez Negotiations

At long last, after several months of prolonged silences, news leaks, and bellyaching on the part of all parties, Manny Ramirez is once again a Dodger.

At least for 2009, should he decide to opt-out of the second year of his $ 45 million deal.
After this year, it's anyone's guess where the good ship Manny will land.

What did we learn about negotiations from this protracted voyage with the Blue Crew?

The clear point is this: Negotiation "basics" are still effective, and we benefit from knowing and using them.

(1) The Dodgers, to their credit, refused to "negotiate against themselves." When it became clear that there were no other bidders for Manny's services, they declined to instantly sweeten their initial offer, despite the fact it was derided publicly as less than "serious," by Manny's agent, Scott Boras.

(2) Deadlines are usually artificial devices to create a sense of urgency among negotiators. The approach of spring training was touted in the press as a drop-dead point. Surely, pundits claimed, Manny would want to find a home as practices began, and the Dodgers would want to finalize their lineup. But that date came and went, and the earth didn't stand still. Suddenly, writers shifted gears, recalling how Roger Clemons joined a team at mid-season, with a fat salary. Result? Deadline over, and a new one wasn't even whispered.

(3) Bluffing doesn't work with sophisticated negotiators that have access to inside information. The Dodgers sensed, somehow, that despite agent Boras' assertions, he didn't have another team waiting in the wings to sign Manny, if the Dodgers withdrew. Did Dodger management or ownership casually poll other clubs to determine who was contending for the star's abilities?

(4) There are limits to what anyone is worth, especially in a deteriorating economy. Getting what you can, cutting losses, and above all not wasting time, are essential in making the most of what you have. Manny's talent is labor-based, a "wasting asset," a use-it-or-lose-it capability. If he didn't strike a deal, he'd get rusty, sacrificing arguably the best year of his career, certainly a big chunk of his "prime."

(5) Most people are not paid to negotiate. Even the highest paid people suffer if bargaining gobbles up too much of their attention. Like a lawsuit, it is tremendously distracting, even if nominally, you "win" in the end. You'll never know what other opportunities you might have pursued successfully while you were engaged in a battle of "wills and won'ts."

For most of us, negotiations are quite private, but in the case of Manny and the Dodgers, the proceedings were uncharacteristically public.

This is lucky for those us who are students of bargaining, because the dollars might be higher in lofty sky-boxes of pro sports, but the essentials and "best practices" are the same for those of us that are seeing the game from the cheap seats.

Source: http://business-negotiation.blogspot.com/2012/08/from-dreadlocks-to-deadlocks-winning.html

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