EL 017: Getting What You Want without Selling Your Soul, with Leigh Steinberg, THE Sports Agent of Our Time
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“See the world the way they see it, and then think about how you can create commonality, and then set up a paradigm of cooperation, where there is honesty, openness, and trust.” – Leigh Steinberg, on negotiation and the key to success.
“An agent of heart” is what sets Steinberg apart from others and also why his career took off in the first place. You may think there are a thousand differences between a sports agent and a guy who builds swimming pools; but the scary truth is: They are not that different at heart! Theoretically, they might require different skill sets; however, if you listen carefully to Leigh Steinberg’s stories, you will see that listen well and mean well are the “secrets”, always!
No matter whom you are dealing with, a new client you are trying to persuade or an athlete you are trying to sign, you have to, in Steinberg’s own words, “understand someone’s deepest anxieties and fears, and their greatest hopes.” Listen to know what the other person knows and get below the surface.
It’s that simple of a philosophy to win, to stand out among your peers. If you carry that message close to your heart at all times, may success prevail on you!
Steinberg’s father passed down four core values to him: 1. treasure relationships, especially family; 2. try to make a meaningful difference in the world; 3. in a positive way; 4. help people who couldn’t help themselves.
We bonded over our cultural, religious values as well. On the surface, I may seem like just an immigration lawyer, him, on the other hand, a sports agent; however, our upbringing required us to not only put education and family on a pedestal, also go out of our way to have a positive influence on the people around us. You have to care.
In this interview you’ll learn:
- 00’49” Steinberg’s story, how he started and his charitable contributions
- 05’57” Steinberg’s secret to success and his Jewish values
- 13’47” The key to negotiation
- 17’24” Steinberg’s philosophy
- 25’08” Being the inspiration for “Jerry Maguire” and Steinberg’s film industry journey
- 31’09” Addiction
- 35’44” Steinberg’s advice
If you prefer to watch the discussion in action, here is my recorded interview with Leigh Steinberg (please refresh your browser a few times if it isn’t loaded properly the first time):
EL 017: Getting What You Want without Selling Your Soul, with Leigh Steinberg, THE Sports Agent of Our Time from jacob sapochnick on Vimeo.
Did you learn anything from Steinberg’s stories? Please leave me a comment below or send me your thoughts at jacob@enchantinglawyer.com. I would really appreciate your feedback and your suggestion on future guests!
