We all are negotiators
My current negotiations include:
What part of the house do I get to work in?
What are we going to have for dinner?
Who is going to the grocery store or getting a workout?
When do we make subtle moves back to business and events that get us back working together beyond the social distancing and virtual world we are living in?
Agreeing to a consulting contract for the value and experience brought to the table.
As a Production Manager starting in the 1980's at Nike China, there were daily negotiations that built a great foundation for Product Creation.
Product negotiations always centered around price, quality and process innovation.
"Negotiating is a gas. It is a grown up version of trading baseball cards- more costly, more dangerous, more work, but the same game"
30 years that I spent at Nike led to many negotiations
We were always thrown into situations that we were not necessarily "trained" to handle, but along the way our leaders helped guide us with some practical knowledge that they felt was important to pass down.
The other day I pulled out an old box of Nike memories and found an 11 page playbook that was handed to us as we headed over to Asia to work on product, marketing or to manage teams and countries.
My first expat experience with Nike in 1987 was as a 26 year old footwear production manager at a Chinese government operated shoe factory.
Negotiations were constant that focused on product quality, delivery, price, and how the products were made.
The intersection of skills that our leaders brought before us in negotiating athlete contracts, manufacturing contracts or sales contracts were grounded in some foundational pieces of the early Nike Culture.
I was lucky to be a part of that culture and approach which allowed me to define my own style and appreciation for the deals that propelled the brand forward.
Focus and simplicity that highlighted "Two Commandments".
Attitude is everything
Advice we can all benefit from today. This was Nike in the early 1980's.
Experience and Insight Drives Value
We all gain experience and insight from our first work experiences. It is how we learn from those and make them our own style of leadership that leads to transforming organizations. I would love to work with companies, organizations and people where I can help bring my experience and value to transforming your organization. Reach out to me and begin the conversation by letting me earn your respect and help you win.
I might have a few more stories to tell along our journey.