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Never Make the First Offer

And Other Wisdom No Dealmaker Should Be Without

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Never Make the First Offer

Written by: Donald Dell
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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About this listen

 Donald Dell is a legend in professional sports. As one of the first agents to represent athletes, he's been negotiating mega-deals for almost 40 years, with a hugely successful record on behalf of stars like Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Connors, Patrick Ewing, Stan Smith, and Boomer Esiason.

Now Dell shares behind-the-scenes stories of his dealings with some of the most powerful sports owners and executives. He brings the inner workings of the negotiating room to life and offers lessons that listeners can apply to their own tough situations. A sample:

  • Never make the first offer: You're not seeking an offer at all; you are seeking information.
  • Business is emotional: If you are less than genuine, people will pick up on it, which is much worse than losing your temper every now and then.
  • Know your audience: I finally figured out the key to Jimmy Connors - play to his stubbornness. Don't force Jimmy to do something and he just might do it.
  • Decide what's important: Something extremely important to the other side may be trivial to you, in which case you can gain leverage by giving it to them.
    • ©2009 Donald Dell and John Boswell (P)2009 Gildan Media Corp     Management & Leadership Negotiating

    Critic Reviews

    "Legendary sports agent Dell reveals the secrets to successful negotiating in this spellbinding, behind-the-scenes look at deal making in the high stakes world of professional athletics. The treasure trove of practical advice is backed up by mesmerizing tales of the deals Dell closed on behalf of such stars as Arthur Ashe, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Connors and Patrick Ewing.... Dell reveals that successful deal making requires strong relationships, trust, self-awareness - the very qualities his star clients embody." ( Publishers Weekly)
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