Erick Van Savage

Erick Van Savage : Leadership Skills

Erick Van Savage is a fifty-four-year-old Vice President of business development and operations. As VP of operations at an organization, Erick Van Savage knows quite a bit about leadership in the workplace. One does not have to be in a management position to play a leadership role. Anyone who has a particular skill or can simply motivate the team can be a leader.

Here are six different leadership styles commonly displayed in work settings:

1. Authoritative – This leader focuses on the goals/mission of the organization or project and is not too concerned with how the team reaches these goals. This style works best when change is needed in the workplace.

2. Affiliative – This style of leadership is more focused on the emotions of the team. They are a motivator and work on building trust amongst the group and focus on reward for a job well done.

3. Pacesetter – This leader leads by example. They are part of the team rather than just a manager. They work closely with their group and get involved rather than just instructing.

4. Democratic – This leader gets the whole group involved in the decision-making process. They value the opinions of every member of the team and focus on coming up with solutions rather than just within management.

5. Coaching – This is just what it sounds like. The leader coaches group members through instruction and praise.

6. Coercive – This is one of the least effective methods of leading. This type of leader makes demands and makes it clear that there will be repercussions if demands aren’t met.

Erick Van Savage notes that there are certain times when these leadership styles are more effective than others. A good leader will generally borrow from each style when the time is right.

Erick Van Savage : Contract Negotiation

Erick Van Savage knows that contract negotiation can be an intimidating thing for many people. Whether you are negotiating on a contract with a client, a potential employer, or even on a personal matter like buying a home, this can be one of the most critical parts of the contractual agreement. These negotiations will set the specifics of the contract that you are about to sign.

Here are some tips to help with strategic contract negotiations:

Spread negotiations into portions – Instead of only looking at the big picture, pay attention to detail. If there are small things that you would like to negotiate on, speak up. Often, people are more willing to budge on smaller details than on the overall picture.

Note industry standards – If a part of a contract seems unfair or unusual, note common practice and see if the other person or people will budge based upon typical standards.

Avoid emotional approaches – Address the issues at hand in the contract and avoid playing off emotions that can distract from coming to an agreement.

Take control – Have specified meeting times and locations and know ahead of time what your goals are for these meetings and the negotiations that will take place.

Propose questions – Rather than making demands, propose questions that will require the person to think about your side.
Do your research – Do not go into contract negotiations without having all the necessary knowledge to make a sound decision.

Erick Van Savage reminds us all that if contractual negotiations ever become too much, there is nothing wrong with employing an outside party such as a lawyer to help with the proceedings. It is not only helpful but can be very wise when it comes to the intricacies of contracts.