Moe and Molly catch up to discuss her approach to effective negotiation that has landed more than $500 million worth of deals throughout her career.
Conversations that Get Deals Done
Soon after starting my career with New York Life, my best friend’s dad, a prominent Washington, DC attorney took an interest in helping us understand the fundamentals and principles of building a business. Having started his law firm from the ground up, he was insistent that his son not repeat the mistakes that delayed his progress; and as such, we were lucky to call him our mentor for the better part of two decades. We learned why attracting the brightest talent was as much an art as it was a science. We were awed to feel the inspiration of a culture that you’d only find with a championship sports franchise, or a high flying startup. Above all, it was his savvy and clever negotiating artistry that has forever changed how we approach any deal making opportunity.
Every other Thursday, we’d take a seat at the back of his firm’s mock trial studio to observe their upcoming week’s dress rehearsal and preparation; and it was there where we internalized the power of preparation. Like any pursuit of mastery, he demanded that his colleagues and partners understand their environment from every angle; which is exactly how sports agent extraordinaire, Molly Fletcher made her mark in the male dominated sports management industry. Read her latest book, A Winner’s Guide to Negotiating: How Conversation Gets Deals Done, and you’ll notice that the five step approach that turned her into the “female Jerry Maguire” starts with setting the stage. Here’s why she calls it 360 degree awareness.