Hired Guns

When Alex Rodriguez wanted a new contract to reflect the fact that he may end up as the all time leader in HR, hits, RBIs, and runs scored, he didn’t negotiate the deal himself.  He hired super-agent Scott Boras, who got him the most lucrative contract in team sports history.

When Will Smith, Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and Steven Spielberg get asked to do a new project, they don’t negotiate the deals either.  They call Richard Lovett.

Why?  It’s not that these people are stupid, it’s that they’re less competent than other people they have ready access to.  These people are athletes and actors.  They’re not professional negotiators.  They’re smart enough to realize that putting together the most lucrative deal possible is outside of their wheelhouse.  Leave that to people with the skills and experience to do it right.

The question is, why don’t more people do this?  Not everybody can afford Scott Boras or Richard Lovett, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find someone who is a more competent negotiator than you are.

Schools, workplaces and the press have been lamenting for years now about helicopter parents who are intimately involved in every aspect of their adult children’s lives, like salary negotiations.  “When will these babies cut the cord?” they cry.  The real question is, why are these institutions so scared?  The answer is likely because they enjoy dealing with uneducated, inexperienced and easily manipulated post-grads.  It’s a lot harder to bullshit somebody who’s already been around the block.

If your parents are worthless, surely you have a savvy friend who was on the debate team, or know someone that went to law school.  Hell, even your wingman with the silver tongue might be a step up.

The point is this: getting a hired gun to do your bidding isn’t a cop-out.  It doesn’t mean your weak or stupid.  Attorneys, those paid to negotiate, often hire other attorneys or have their attorney friends negotiate for them.  Some of the most skilled negotiators I know put together phenomenal deals for their clients, but they’re just horrific when negotiating for themselves.  The smart ones know their limits and bring somebody else on board when those limits are exceeded.

Even if you can’t afford an attorney, get help from someone who is better than you are to make sure you don’t get screwed.