CHAPTER 4

Deliver

The third D, Deliver, helps you avoid uncomfortably delivering the hard “ask” by familiarizing yourself with the final script. In order to deliver convincingly after you have written and edited what you wish to say, you must become comfortable with your script so that you may deliver smoothly. By rehearsing aloud, preparing for interruptions, and establishing confidence with what you want to say and how you are going to say it, you effectively implement the last of the three Ds. It is also helpful to find someone, perhaps your devil’s advocate, to act as a delivery coach who will listen and prepare you for interruptions. If you make your case without confidence, your intended audience will sense weakness and therefore not feel obliged to agree with your statements or correctly understand your feelings if you are discussing personal matters.

The actual conversation may occur in different contexts. In some cases, such as over the phone, you can keep the script in front of you during the delivery. In a face-to-face meeting, you may have to deliver from memory. Television reporters often hold their notebooks during live interviews below the shot and out of the view of the people at home. These notebooks serve a scripting function. On the pages are lists of questions, and perhaps follow-up questions or talking points. There is symbolic value to carrying the notes: the interviewer literally does not want to come to work empty-handed. By practicing for the interview, the news reporters are prepared to address the main points of their story clearly. Similarly, the rest of us may want to come equipped with a list of bullet points or even a full-blown script as a reference. But the most important thing is to have internalized the material by that point.

There are situations, however, in which you should not bring your script or notes along because they could signal a lack of confidence. These cases require additional practice delivering the script. This step can be viewed like a dress rehearsal for a Broadway show, in which the assigning of roles and construction of the sets have already been completed and now it is time to perfect the pace of the actors’ lines and their stage presence. This step is invisible to the audience, just as the efforts that go into practicing the script delivery will be unseen by the receiver. The end result on opening night, or when the meeting occurs, is a strong performance.

While this metaphor of a Broadway dress rehearsal describes a thoroughly practiced delivery, it may be helpful to consider elements of improvisational theater. Just as actors in improv do not know exactly how their fellow actors will respond to their dialogue, you cannot know exactly how your audience will react to specific parts of your statement.

Similar to actors, lawyers during a proceeding can be caught off guard. I have admired some lawyers’ aplomb during U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments. A first-time observer to the Court’s viewing gallery may assume that arguing a client’s case is as simple as giving a speech. It is not. The lawyers are frequently interrupted by justices’ questions and comments, getting only a few words into a thought. They must thoughtfully and politely address the justices’ concerns without losing sight of the big picture, and continuously return to making their case. Their preparation for the hearing involves research and careful scripting. It is likely that multiple scripts will be developed in order to ensure that all the potential stages of the hearing are addressed.

Just as it is common for court cases to last weeks, the same is true for landmark sports contract negotiations. We knew that the day we opened discussions with the Minnesota Twins would not be the same day we closed the deal. It took a series of phone calls, followed by meetings in Minnesota and during spring training in Florida, before a contract was signed.

Although I have a lot of experience with delivering scripted messages, I still use Michael to assist me with preparing for the actual delivery. For those who are less experienced, it would be beneficial to find an acquaintance who challenges you as you deliver your script. It is possible that your devil’s advocate will also be your delivery coach and prepare you for the actual conversation. The objective is not only to enter the conversation confidently but—when asked a question—to counter confidently as well.

This is the script Michael and I had perfected for the first formal meeting of the negotiation. The script includes reasonably high goals and some “wish list” terms that might have stirred hesitance in their communication if we did not practice our delivery and receive the comfort and confidence that comes with it.

Bill, we have taken your proposal of a 5-year extension at $18 million a year to Joe.

If he signs an extension, he is making substantial concessions in that he is forgoing the free agency process, though testing the market could possibly lead to a bidding war [hold on mentioning NY and Boston specifically, unless subsequent discussion requires] that would result in one of the largest contracts in baseball [if required, name numbers: as much as $30 million a year for 10 years]. After speaking with Joe, a contract extension for 9 years at $27 million a year is an offer he would be we are willing to accept. We believe Joe’s value is greater, and if he goes to free agency, he could very well receive a contract much larger than we are proposing.

He is willing to make this offer at a hometown discount. Since we are doing this making this accommodation for the club, Joe would like trade protection as well as an option to terminate this extension if the club stops being committed to staying at a competitive level or if the market for players changes significantly and makes this extension inappropriate for a player of Joe’s caliber.

The scripting process led to the development of a script that not only supported our point, but also was brief enough for me to embrace and express with confidence. And, although Bill never told me, he might have even appreciated a bit of brevity.

As expected, there were multiple stops and starts in the contract talks after the first meeting. The Twins initially said they would move off their initial proposal, but not to where we wanted.

The media’s focus on the proceedings and outcome of the deal complicated negotiations. During the talks, Michael and I took steps to avoid being spotted by reporters. The media would try to glean meaning from basic information such as our whereabouts. When we went to spring training to visit with our clients, including Joe, the media spun stories focusing on the negotiation and created stories about “talks heating up.” As we stepped off an airplane in Fort Myers, Florida, a reporter saw us. Before we knew it, there was a headline in the St. Paul Pioneer Press three weeks before Joe signed: “Mauer’s reps visit Twins camp.” As the meetings continued, we practiced the principle of not negotiating in the press. It was hard enough to make a deal with the other side; adding a third party that would inject their thoughts would unnecessarily complicate this process.

This first script began the negotiations at a dollar figure that, while rational, was uncomfortable to ask for because of its historically large size. It was essential, however, that we begin the negotiation at such a number, because it laid the foundation for what was, after sequential meetings, ultimately a successful negotiation. Over the span of working toward an agreement, we created multiple scripts for multiple meetings, engaged in back-and-forth conversations with the Twins, and addressed every detail of the contract. In the end, we were able to sign Joe to what was the fourth-largest contract in Major League Baseball history at the time. It was all thanks to the hard work by the Twins, a strong commitment by Joe, and some pretty effective scripting. On the day the deal was announced, with his parents and two brothers sitting nearby in the Lee County (Florida) Sports Complex, Joe signed an eight-year contract extension at $23 million per year using the same pen with which he had signed his rookie contract in 2001. “Wow,” he exclaimed after signing the deal to remain playing for his hometown team through the 2018 season.

Lindsay’s situation, in contrast to Joe’s, was not a game of high-stakes sports negotiation. Rather, it was everyday life, much like what most of us experience from time to time. Her scripting process involved fewer steps and did not quite garner the same amount of media attention. But it involved a similar process. Lindsay—the event manager frustrated because her hours and pay had been cut, and worried about her son’s future—never had to refer to the script during the discussion with her boss because of how thoroughly she rehearsed. The tool gave her direction and confidence in her delivery.

This is Lindsay’s final script. When she delivered her message it was not verbatim. Instead, the script served to organize her thoughts and offer a foundation for practicing delivery so that she could respectfully and effectively communicate her message.

I want to spend a little time talking about my job and compensation at the company. Since the cuts last year in March I have given everything I have to make sure our large annual event and other development events and their execution would be activities are beyond successful—I don’t think anyone would question that success.

The problem is that over the past year and a half I have put my own personal and financial well-being at risk by going far, far beyond the call of duty in my commitment to the company.

My job requires that my work hours continually change and that I must work many weekends and events. And Because of my reduced compensation, I have had to work different multiple odd jobs to bridge the salary/needs gap. I work seven days a week. By Observations of family and friends are that I work entirely too much and that it is unhealthy to not be adequately compensated for my job here. You should also know that when I am not in the office, I am still always taking calls, being responsive to event needs, and keeping balls moving through my personal cell phone and my home office—all without compensation . . .

I cannot be expected to work perform with high impact as a salesperson and events manager with high impact on a part-time schedule and a 20% pay cut.

I have done this through sheer faith, the ability to work very hard, and courage of conviction to the company without industry-standard commission compensation of 2%–5% on sales without even asking the industry-standard commission compensation of 5% on rental sales at the very least or even a full-time base salary . . .

In the past I have never been an hour counter—I do whatever it takes to get the job done. I am now sacrificing my own integrity of thinking and I start counting hours because I am feeling taken advantage of and not being fairly recognized for the hard work, talent, and dedication I bring to the company. I am so far beyond spread thin it is beginning to rattle at my emotional levels of feeling resentment and anger toward the company—feelings I never want to have but they are growing. I don’t know how I can properly carry out sales, staffing, and administrative functions while continuing to have a real personal life and making financial ends meet at the end of the month. This is not even taking into account new initiatives I am involved in . . .

In addition, I have my son’s future to worry about. At my present rate of pay, I greatly fear we will not be able to afford college and have him live up to his full potential. The amount of support the school has provided him falls short of what we need.

[Wait for response. If appropriate: “Do you understand my dilemma?”]

So what does it all come down to? Restoring full-time hours with appropriate salary and commission will allow me to tap into and grow these areas of income and contribute to the financial well-being of the company even greater than I currently do while being fairly compensated and allow me to meet my financial responsibilities and it will allow me to meet my financial responsibilities without working multiple jobs.

Like a presidential candidate participating in mock debates, Lindsay and I simulated the encounter she would have with her boss by creating a similar environment in my office. I remember that when Lindsay initially read her script, she was tentative and nervous. “Let me hear it again with less hesitation,” I instructed. After she had read it a few more times I said, “Let me hear it again, but don’t look at it.” As she grew comfortable with the text, I began to challenge her by interrupting her with statements like, “I know where you stand on this.” She was momentarily flustered, but after more practice she became capable of working through distractions and returning to her points.

Once she had mastered her presentation in spite of my interruptions, I started to throw questions and unforeseen responses into the mix. As she learned to deal with them, we also wrote down a list of “possible answers” that she could study to be prepared for “unforeseen” contingencies. (See “Preparing for Varying Scenarios—Contingency Planning” in chapter 5.)

While there would have been no harm in Lindsay having her script in front of her if the discussion occurred over the phone, I wanted her to internalize the document. Although scripts can be memorized, I did not want the presentation to come off as robotic or for her to seem thrown off if she was interrupted.

My goal as Lindsay’s delivery coach was for her to practice keeping her mind engaged as the meeting unfolded. You can never truly know how the other side will respond no matter how many hours you devote to preparing. Even the best campaign advisers cannot foresee every scenario that might unfold during a candidates’ debate. Nevertheless, Lindsay was sufficiently equipped and thus felt reasonably sure that she was ready for almost any eventuality when she met with her boss. And if she felt stumped by a question or comment, I advised her that she could always retreat with “Can I get back to you on that?”

Unlike lawyers in a Supreme Court oral argument, Lindsay was rarely interrupted by her boss during her delivery. She was able to say what she wanted and articulate to her boss her frustrations. A restoration of her hours and $12,000 of her salary was made along with better delegation of responsibility. Although this was a smaller increase than she had hoped for, her boss—moved by the challenges regarding paying for her son’s tuition—introduced her to a local service club representative. A month later, the club awarded her son scholarship funds to supplement tuition. Lindsay was satisfied, because she believed a positive change had been made: her boss had demonstrated support, and she now had help and more money of her own to contribute to her son’s college tuition.

In both cases, we started with a goal. Chief among Joe’s was to continue his career in his hometown of Minnesota at a salary close to the market rate. Lindsay’s focused on being more equitably compensated for the time and effort she devoted to the company. The two substantially achieved their goals by applying the three Ds (Draft, Devil’s Advocate, and Deliver). Both scripts were working documents. Language had been honed and streamlined in each. While a contract negotiation, asking for a raise, and other situations that involve a challenging request can be acrimonious, we wanted to avoid any lingering ill will. When Lindsay approached her boss and when Joe’s representatives entered their negotiations, they had to be prepared for contingencies. Their scripts needed to be flexible game plans to account for unexpected twists and they had to be presented confidently. The trick is to know the material well enough so that you are comfortable with it, but not to have it so prepared that it loses a feel of spontaneity and sounds rehearsed.

Part II, which follows, presents various examples in which utilizing the three Ds allows you to comfortably and effectively present your thoughts, whether it be to sell your product, make your case, offer advice, or express a feeling.

Keep in Mind:

• By practicing script delivery, you lay the foundation for effective communication and build a comfort level with your message.

• Being comfortable and speaking with confidence makes your position less vulnerable to the other side pushing back. Your audience is less likely to give you what you want (or close to it) if they sense hesitancy in how you state your case.

• Before going into a meeting take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are prepared and ready to deliver the message.

• The actual conversation may occur face-to-face, over the phone, or via e-mail.

• For situations that don’t play out in person, it is okay to have your script in front of you. Speak naturally when delivering it. In some circumstances, do not display your script in face-to-face meetings because it may diminish your perceived confidence. If necessary, you can refer to some bullet points on a pad or card.

• It is helpful to find a delivery coach who challenges you as you practice.

• Be prepared for the coach to cut you off as you practice delivering your script to prepare you for possible interruptions and questions.

• Remember it is not only what you say, but also how confidently you say it.