Navigating Contract Negotiations: How to Avoid Pitfalls and Keep Your Cool

Negotiating contracts as a medical professional can sometimes feel like you’re walking a tightrope over a pit of alligators—scary and fraught with danger. Luckily, with the right moves, you can sidestep common blunders and come out with a deal that leaves everyone smiling. Here are five key pitfalls to dodge in your negotiation adventure:

1. Don’t Get Emotional: Emotions in negotiations are like adding extra spice to an already spicy dish—you might end up with a fiery mess. Keep your cool and don’t let your feelings turn your negotiation into a drama series. Stay calm and collected; a clear head will help you negotiate like a pro. When in doubt, take a few deep breaths to maintain your zen.

2. Avoid In-Person Negotiating: Face-to-face negotiations can be like playing poker with an unpredictable opponent—you might get blindsided by unexpected bluffs or awkward pauses. Stick to email where you can carefully craft and revise your responses. Remote negotiations let you avoid those cringe-worthy moments and give you the luxury of hitting “undo” when needed.

3. Don’t Negotiate Non-Compete Clauses: Non-compete clauses are like that ancient relic gathering dust in the attic. With the FTC’s new ruling taking effect after September 4, 2024, these clauses are about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. So long as this ruling holds, skip negotiating them and focus on the stuff that really counts.

4. Don’t Make Impractical Requests: Making requests that are difficult to give is like asking for a unicorn as part of your benefits package—sure, it sounds fun, but it’s not going to happen. Keep your requests realistic and reasonable to avoid pushing your employer into a corner. By sticking to practical proposals, you’ll find negotiating feels less like a tug-of-war and more like a team effort.

5. Don’t Forget About the Other Side: Negotiations are a two-way tango, not a solo dance number. Don’t get so fixated on your own needs that you ignore the employer’s perspective. Strive for a deal where both sides feel like they’re getting a good deal. A little empathy and active listening can turn a negotiation from a battlefield into a collaborative win-win.

Navigating medical contract negotiations is all about balance—combining strategy, cool-headedness, and a pinch of common sense. By keeping your emotions in check, opting for remote negotiations, skipping the non-compete clauses, making sensible requests, and considering the employer’s side, you’ll secure a contract that works for you while keeping your professional relationships intact. For more tips and tricks, check out other articles on Negotiwise.com and transform those negotiation jitters into a winning strategy!

Mark Phebus, Director of Optometric Consulting 

www.Negotiwise.com