The Ultimate Corporate Entrepreneur

Before You Sign that Contract! 7 Copyright Essentials for Collaboration

Out of the ashes of the Great Recession lie the beginnings of new partnerships and creative collaborations. 

However, exuberance is no excuse for not establishing clear expectations upfront and ensuring that the IP of partners is clearly spelled out in a formal agreement.

It's unfortunate when business alliances, partnerships and creative endeavors fail because the partners didn't invest upfront time in thinking through the "what if" scenarios.

This is why I invited Alan Korn, a Berkeley, California-based attorney specializing in art, entertainment, intellectual property and business law, to join me for a candid discussion on copyright essentials on Sunday, March 14 at 6pm (PST) (PDT) during my Coach for Innovation show on BlogTalkRadio. 

1. What is a copyright and what does it protect? 
   
2. Who owns a copyright?
   
3. When is a written contract necessary?
4. What should the contract cover?
5. What is copyright infringement?
6. Are there any limitations on rights of copyright owners?
   
7. Why registering copyrights with the Copyright Office is a good idea.

Win-Win Negotiations: Only for Wimps and Losers?

I recently participated in a discussion at a women's networking event about how guys always seem to play hardball during negotiations.

One of the women asked if striving for a win-win outcome could be perceived as a sign of weakness?"

The assumption was that women have a tendency to leave money on the table during negotiations because we're taught to "play nice" and want only to be liked.

No one considered that, perhaps, these women hadn't yet differentiated between "playing nice" and building / managing effective business relationships. They hadn't "learned the ropes", so to speak, of being tough and fair and likable.  

Along the same lines of the hardball theory are the "bad ass" types who aren't really effective negotiators, as much as they're hiding behind an aggressive communication style. (Ironically, aggression in either gender is the easiest behavior to leverage during negotiations because they're wearing emotions on their sleeves.)

Do Your Fieldwork (Age-Old Rule)

I know, no one enjoys homework. But this is where playing hardball comes in and where you can stand out and differentiate yourself during negotiations. Company professionals, small business owners, and micropreneurs tend to leave money, crown jewels, and long-range potential on the table during negotiations because they get L-A-Z-Y.

In fact, it's harder to prepare for a win-win outcome than it is to walk in with the attitude of slapping the other party around to get your way (500 lb gorilla). You can be tough and play fair and still get more of what you need (and want) in the bargain.

1. You come prepared knowing your primary needs/wants.
2. You feel comfortable knowing what your counterpart will ask for during the unfolding scenario.
3. You create nuggets of information gold; needs/wants combos that when taken together result in something more powerful than what you could accomplish on your own (Optional, but nice to have).
4. Your preparation allows you to remain open to developing combinations during negotiations. 

Even in the case of someone coming in with the intention of knocking you off the seesaw, you can come in prepared with enough information about their strengths, primary needs and wants and still aim for a win-win.

But never feel that walking away from a bad deal is a wimpy move. It's a smart move. Even in tough economic times, do you really want to do business with someone or work for a company that uses strong arm tactics to get (only) their way?

Of course, you won't know what a bad deal looks like if you haven't done your due diligence in the first place.

[Want to learn more about negotiations? Our self-paced 3-hour audio program Harness the Power of Your Natural Negotiating Style comes with an eWorkbook and full transcript. We take all the risk out of the deal by offering you a 90-day 100% guarantee!]

Your Value Chain: Are You in Sync for 2010?

This economy is playing havoc with people's abilities to see their contributing value, let alone effectively selling it! Just last week I facilitated a spirited discussion about personal versus professional values.

The word alone raises all sorts of feelings in people since core personal values make up our belief system. We don't like when people mess with our belief system (learn more about non-negotiable boundaries).

You also have professional values, which you might ignore unless you're going through a major career/life change. If you're like most professionals, you'll scramble to discover what you truly value, often confusing it with what you're good at (or what others tell you you're good at).

Keep in mind, though, that the next stepping stone might mean staying in place. Reinventing yourself is not only for those times when you're ready to move on to the next job or new position.You probably want to reinvent yourself on a regular basis--shedding the outworn to make room for the new--it keeps you fresh and competitive in the new world of work.

This is why the first "E" in our R.E.I.N.V.E.N.T. You program stands for expertise--your Portable Assets--which you can take anywhere. You sometimes need to dig deep to discover (or rediscover) where these gems are buried. 

Your Value Chain

By the time you reach the "V" part of the equation (values) you already have a clear sense of 

• Your core values (non-negotiable)
• What you value professionally (negotiable) 
• How much value you place on specific skills and experience (weighted value)
  
• Areas where others feel you contribute value (employer / customer / partner)
• Marketplace value (of your expertise)

You'll have trouble negotiating your net worth if you're not clear about your self-worth along your entire value chain. 

Professionals have two main challenges in completing this process. The first is determining what they value professionally. The second is deciding what needs to be included for their next reinvention.

It gets really interesting when your employer, customers and partners value particular areas of your expertise that you no longer want to bring along for your next reinvention. This is where folks get stuck and usually need navigation help from someone who can help them straddle both sides of the fence until they can "naturally" transition.

When was the last time you assessed your value chain? How do you perceive your professional worth? When was the last time you measured this value? I would recommend doing this at least twice a year. This way, you can renegotiate or adjust your needs early enough in the process before it becomes too difficult to move the needle.

Do You Have (Real) Actionable Career Strategies for 2010?

The official word has it that the recession is over. It's just not over for everyone at the same time. Professionals must continue to be vigilant in preparing their career strategies and executing to their plans. Those most at risk are workers who still have a job (whether they like the job they have or not).

I realize that wearing multiple hats and juggling the work of three or four downsized co-workers doesn't leave you with much energy at the end of the day to focus on your "career strategy".

Good news? You're already living the entrepreneur's la vida loca, so why not take it a step further and develop your 2010 career strategy and prepare your plans for surviving and thriving in a sluggish recovery.

This is why I invited Marky Stein to join me for this week's Big Dreamers! The Reinvent Success Show on BlogTalkRadio leading up to her "get back to work now" strategies at the Career Reboot Camp happening Oct 26-27 in Northern California.

Marky is the bestselling author of several career books including "Fearless Resumes", "Fearless Job Change", and "Fearless Interviewing".

During our hour-long show this Sunday, Oct. 18 @ 6pm (Pacific), Marky will share her 7 Fearless Job Search Strategies with Big Dreamer listeners. 

1. How to capture your reader's emotions in the "seven second" zone of your resume.
2. How to make your job skills sizzle.
3. 10 mistakes to avoid on your resume and how to quickly fix them.
4. How to master the first 15 seconds of the interview.
5. How to create "chemistry" with the interviewer.
6. Questions you should ask the interviewer.
7. Negotiating a higher salary in a recession.

We'll take your call-in questions or you can post them in the chat room. Can't listen to our show live? No worries. You can listen to the recorded show posted on my BlogTalkRadio page at your convenience.

5 Steps to Getting Out of a Bad Deal - Gracefully

Some weeks back I wrote about raising your awareness when a mentoring relationship was heading south.

Wow, did I hit a nerve with readers. I've spent the last few weeks fielding and responding to emails from folks who wanted tips on how to get out of a bad deal without burning a bridge (Offering a complimentary teleseminar might have been easier!)

A bad deal could be a business relationship--a client, partner, or new manager. It might be a new job where you jumped ship from your last company only to find yourself in a worse situation.

Sometimes, burning a bridge is the only way to avoid crossing it again. Seasoned negotiators never fear walking away from a bad deal.

But when do you know whether it makes sense to stick around and fix a situation?

Negotiating through Emotions - Diplomacy Isn't Just for Diplomats

Diplomats have a number of characteristics in common. They understand the nuances between people and cultures and environments and tailor their message accordingly. 

You need similar workplace skills maneuvering your way diplomatically through the political spectrum of today's organizations, which often means having the ability to negotiate through emotions.   

Managing tensions during the normal ebb and flow of exploring and vetting creative, entrepreneurial ideas, and then deciding which ones receive funding can surface different emotions in people ranging from feelings of rejection to one of favoritism, and even how someone views their value in the workplace.

If you're not skilled in the art of political diplomacy, or collaborating with someone who is, your entrepreneurial ideas may get squashed before ever seeing the light of day. Sadly, it's not always about the best ideas put forward, but often the best ideas put forward by the most politically savvy within the corporate arena.

Negotiating Win-Win Emotions