An athlete is dissatisfied with their contract terms. How can you negotiate a win-win solution?

There must be alignment with all the internal and external factors as well as the player's contribution to the team. The team's salary tiering and the average salaries in the league would play an important role here as well. Bonuses always allow the club to motivate the player to make extra money on his contract as well as advertisements.

I consider that win-win is key and empathize with the opposing position to find a way out where the parties lose as little as possible. It is important to be aligned in that what does not work eventually will be a serious problem for both parties.

To create a win-win solution for the dissatisfied athlete and the contract terms, consider negotiating for incentives or performance-based bonuses that align with the athlete's goals and achievements. This approach can motivate the athlete to excel while also benefiting the team or organization.

To initiate the negotiation process effectively, it is crucial to fully understand what the athlete finds unsatisfactory about their current contract by listening attentively to their concerns, whether they pertain to salary, contract duration, or specific clauses. By acknowledging their feelings and understanding their goals, you can pinpoint the key issues that need addressing. Show genuine empathy towards their concerns and validate their feelings, demonstrating that you are on their side. Conduct a thorough market analysis to ensure the proposal is realistic and competitive, and craft a proposal that aligns with the athlete's aspirations while balancing market realities.

1. *Listen First*: Hear out the athlete’s concerns. Understanding their issues helps you find common ground. 2. *Acknowledge Concerns*: Show that you understand and appreciate their point of view. 3. *Be Flexible*: Look for areas where you can make changes. Maybe you can offer better incentives, more support, or adjust performance bonuses. 4. *Explain Your Position*: Clearly explain why the current terms were set. Sometimes, just understanding the reasoning can help the athlete see things differently. 5. *Find Middle Ground*: Propose solutions that benefit both sides. For example, if the athlete wants more money, you might offer a slightly higher salary in exchange for a longer contract term.

Initiating an open dialogue with the team's management or sponsors is the next crucial step in the negotiation process. Begin by presenting the athlete's concerns clearly and without bias, ensuring that their issues regarding salary, contract duration, or specific clauses are communicated effectively. Emphasize the benefits of having a satisfied athlete, highlighting how their contentment can positively impact the team's performance, cohesion, and overall brand image. A happy and motivated athlete is more likely to perform at their best, which in turn can lead to better results on the field and a stronger, more positive public perception of the team.

Según mi experiencia, pienso que es mejor un diálogo abierto entre ambas partes para llegar a un acuerdo que meterse en tecnicismos legales en los que muchas veces nadie queda satisfecho o al menos una de las partes, generalmente la más débil, sale perdiendo.

A concern based approach would be ideal, where the two parties engage in a dialogue with the intention to find out the concerns of the athlete and the organisation, however, the athlete should be allowed to voice out her concerns about the contract, and what the organisation is willing to give as value and what it will benefit

Es importante escuchar muy bien el planteo. Reconocer si es una inquietud genuina y lógica del deportista, si el planteo viene de parte de su agente o en qué modalidad y formas se realizó. Asimismo reconocer el contexto, tanto deportivo de la institución y del equipo, como de la economía del contexto general. Esto nos permitirá atender con respeto y coherencia el reclamo y también defender con más herramientas los intereses de nuestra institución.

Start an open dialogue with athletes to create a safe space. Athletes must feel comfortable and safe to speak up. It's important to be an active listener, show empathy. Ask open questions, listen to the replies and be supportive, not judgmental. Show that you care and follow up. Some questions: how do you feel about the new training program? How do you cope with the pressure of upcoming competition? Are you thinking about something out of sport?How is the recovery process going? Anything outside of sport you are interested into?

Flexibility is paramount when renegotiating contract terms to ensure a balanced outcome that meets the athlete's needs without jeopardizing the team's financial stability. Begin by exploring a variety of options and alternatives that can address the athlete's concerns. For instance, performance-based incentives can be an effective way to align the athlete's financial rewards with their contributions to the team's success, thereby motivating them to perform at their best while safeguarding the team's budget.

Perfomance based incentives could be a solution but you need to link them to the club results. If you pay a top-scorer bonus for your player but your team is not going to play-offs ... looks like not a wi-win solution.

En Argentina le decimos "tener mu?eca". La posibilidad de ser más férreos en la defensa de lo que no consideramos modificable y poder ceder lo suficiente en aquello que puede revisarse. Lograremos llegar a un acuerdo que beneficie a ambos, o que no perjudique a nadie, si se equilibra lo que podemos ofrecer y negar.

Understand athletes' needs and offer incentives and bonuses based on these. Be flexible, adaptable and transparent. Think long term and draft a comprehensive contract. Give some time to think about it and provide with further inputs. The sport/life balance is critical, an important aspect is the personal time. The final goal is to set an agreement meeting with both parties needs.

Before finalizing any agreement, conducting a thorough legal review of the proposed contract changes is essential to ensure that all new terms comply with relevant sports laws and regulations and do not inadvertently create liabilities or conflicts. This step is crucial for protecting both the athlete's and the organization's interests. A comprehensive legal review involves scrutinizing every clause to ensure it aligns with league rules, labor laws, and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. It is also important to verify that the new terms do not introduce ambiguities or loopholes that could lead to future disputes.

Ensure that terms are fair, legally binding and protect everyone interest. Who is involved? Define term, termination and eventually an exit clause. Read carefully the contract, the goal is to set a win-win agreement with no bad surprises. Does the contract involve both basic salary and bonuses? It's better to agree on such terms since the beginning. Clarify rights and responsibilities. Agree on the confidentiality and non-disclosure terms. Is everything legal compliant? Then sign and execute.

La revisión legal debe ser fundamental desde antes de comenzar la negociación. Debemos revisar el contrato o acuerdo vigente antes de revisar sus modificaciones. Antes de hacer modificaciones, debemos conocer si los reclamos del deportista ya están contemplados en el texto o no, si estaban y no se cumplieron o si no estaban y necesitamos agregarlos. En muchas ocasiones, no se trata de modificar o ampliar el contrato sino de hacer efectiva al 100% la ejecución del acuerdo suscrito. Por supuesto, de hacerse modificaciones, debemos revisar que sean coherentes legalmente y que no vayan en perjuicio de los intereses de las partes.

n every negotiation, it is crucial to highlight the mutual benefits of the revised contract terms, demonstrating how these changes can enhance the athlete's performance and well-being, ultimately leading to better results for the team or brand. By focusing on performance-based incentives, improved benefits, or revised clauses that offer greater security or freedom, you can show the athlete how these adjustments directly contribute to their professional growth and personal satisfaction. For instance, performance-based incentives not only motivate the athlete to excel but also align their success with the team's achievements, creating a win-win scenario.

Al finalizar el trato debemos ser lo más sinceros posibles. Si no hay acuerdo, debemos continuar con la negociación. Que no termine por cansancio sino por acuerdo. Si termina por cansancio, más temprano que tarde nos encontraremos con una situación similar. Si el deportista sigue sin aceptar las condiciones, llevaremos la conversación hasta el borde límite que es la afección de los intereses de la institución. Una vez cerrado el trato, pautar tiempos y formas de evaluación del nuevo acuerdo desde ambas partes para cumplir con lo firmado, así como discutir las formas adecuadas para expresar futuras inquietudes.

To negotiate a win-win deal with an athlete who's dissatisfied with their contract, start by understanding their concerns and our team's limitations. Look for common ground, such as performance incentives or endorsement opportunities, that benefit both sides. Emphasize long-term goals that align their success with ours. Use data to justify any adjustments and propose creative solutions like bonuses tied to team performance. Keep communication open and respectful throughout the process and seek expert advice if needed.

Not all athletes are going to be happy with a contract, but let's try and prevent the majority from going there in the first place. But sometimes it is avoidable, so... I may suggest putting on your critical & analytical thinking caps and working through a resolution (conflict management/resolution skills) that helps to create a better today, tomorrow, and overall future for all involved. Contracts are never fun to read, pick apart, or negotiate; take a humane approach and create a holistic environment for your athlete to discuss the opportunity to change this that or the other (and that works for all parties) and then you'll both be walking a more positive, happy, and health path forward.

Siempre tener muy en cuenta la naturaleza del reclamo y su contexto ?el reclamo es del atleta o de su agente? ?cómo está la economía de nuestra institución o de nuestro país?, y las características del atleta: ?en el pasado se manejó de manera correcta?. ?cuál es su presente deportivo? y ?cuál es su potencial? Luego de esa base clara, se puede flexibilizar el acuerdo y mejorar las condiciones para motivar al deportista y para que el ámbito en que se desenvuelve tenga un mejor provecho de su actividad.

It must be taken into account that it will be impossible to continue, and there are only two ways to comply with the contract, legality, or negotiation to ensure the least possible damage for both parties. It is important to keep in mind that in the negotiation you are not going to win, you are going to lose as little as possible, both parties.