Q & A Table of Contents
My Son Should Be A Negotiator — But His Passion Is Soccer Football
From: Bev, Johannesburg, South Africa
Question: I am looking to guide my 19 year old son into a career that
would suit his personality profile, interests, gifts and abilities.
I feel that the role of negotiator would suit him well. His passion
is soccer and I would like to know from you if there is a negotiator
role in the soccer world. If so, what study/employment path should
he take in order to work towards the negotiator role.
Response: There is a phenomenal amount of negotiation in organized
sports. If your son is a talented player he may find himself
negotiating with other players and coaches about strategy. Reviewing
game films is very much like the kind of preparation required of a
good negotiator; the better one studies other parties to the game,
the better one is likely to do in the process of playing the game —
or negotiating to reach a mutually acceptable conclusion. There is a
crucial difference between playing the game of soccer and
negotiating; in the sport each side is aiming to win at the expense
of the other — while in negotiation, unless each party is comfortable
with the agreement, the process has failed.
In organized sports there is a tremendous amount to negotiate: pay
and other human resource issues, management decisions, commercial
issues such as sponsorships and even logos on uniforms, as well as
the even more tendentious issues arising when athletic teams are
treated as investments.
Your son may be focused on playing soccer at present; that is not
clear from your question. If that is his number one interest,
learning to collaborate with his team-mates will provide ample
opportunity to work collaboratively (negotiate) to reach favorable
results. Should his passion for soccer continue past his playing
days, if he has an opportunity to work as a coach or as part of team
management, his opportunities to negotiate will escalate.
Negotiation is about people working with people. Teamwork is based
on that as well. Sports offer excellent opportunities for self-
development and for professional careers that draw upon the skills
needed by a good negotiator.
Good luck with the process — and to your son,
Steve
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