As athletes you are constantly preparing to perform at your best but how can you also get the outcomes you want in a contract negotiation?
Aside from having help from us there are 2 key things that you can do to get the most out of a contract negotiation.
Prepare
Be prepared with all the relevant information or responses before you have any discussions by making a list of things such as:
your achievements and awards;
your strengths;
how you have addressed any weaknesses;
positive feedback you have received from coaches, teammates, staff, mentors or the media.
leadership roles you have taken on;
the impact you have on your sport/team that aren’t reflected in statistics;
your future short and long term goals.
Having specific examples and the key information clearly set out will make you feel more comfortable and confident in negotiations and saves you from that dreaded feeling later of “I wish I had said that!”.
Prioritise
Identify what you want from a contract and list them in order of your priorities.
Your top priority could be to get more game time at the top level, or to maximise your earning capacity. It could be to live in a new city or move home to be with family or even join a team that has great off field opportunities.
Start by listing all the things you want from a contract then order them from 1 being most important to you, down to the last. This helps you focus on ensuring you seek your top priority and allows you to be more flexible with other less important factors during negotiations.
Brieanna Mercer
If you would like to know more about how we can help prepare you for upcoming contract negotiations email Lauren or Brie at lauren@stellaathletes.com or brie@stellaathletes.com.
