Holly Yalove, president of AMA Knoxville, welcomed participants to our first in-person event of the new year, hosted by Axle Logistics. AMA Knoxville brings together marketing minds from Knoxville and surrounding counties for professional development, networking, and educational opportunities. The chapter also invests in future marketers by awarding scholarships to marketing students at the University of Tennessee with our Eagle Endowment. Holly recognized the AMA board of directors, volunteers, and annual sponsors (Slamdot, Colby’s Photography, Larson SMB Consulting, and HumblePod) who make these events possible.
In addition to sponsoring the Eagle Endowment, AMA Knoxville works with the University of Tennessee’ Non-Credit program to offer an AMAK Marketing Certificate with course topics including:
- Marketing Fundamentals
- Branding Essentials
- Digital Marketing Management
Visit utnoncredit.com to learn more or register for these exciting courses.
About the Presenter
From being named a top Freight Brokerage Firms in North America to a top Workplaces, Shawn McLeod’s top negotiation skills have propelled him and Axle Logistics to industry success. Previously vice president of logistics, Shawn McLeod was promoted to president in July 2021. With his demonstrated history of working in the transportation/trucking/railroad industry, he’s skilled in negotiation, operations management, freight transportation, freight, and sales.
Axle Logistics is a non-asset based, third-party logistics (3PL) company with a focus on providing safe, reliable, advanced logistics services – Truckload, LTL, Intermodal, and Warehousing – to a wide variety of customers throughout the continental U.S., Canada, and Mexico. By providing specialized customer service, a unique overall philosophy and approach to management, Axle is a leader in the logistics industry.
What is Negotiating?
Simply put, negotiating is merely a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement. A negotiation may take place between buyers and sellers, an employer and prospective employee, or in everyday life between two or more people socially with the goal of reducing debts, lowering the sale price of a house, improving the conditions of a contract, or getting a better deal on a purchase (i.e., car, house, etc.). Whether you realize it or not, negotiation is an unavoidable part of our daily lives.
Negotiating holds the key to getting ahead in the workplace, resolving conflicts, and creating value in contracts.
Top Negotiating Skills include:
- Communication
- Active Listening
- Emotional Intelligence
- Expectation Management
- Patience
- Adaptability
- Persuasion
- Planning
- Integrity
- Rapport Building
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
Preparing for a Negotiation
It’s imperative that you go into each and every negotiation prepared. A lack of preparation can easily lead to an unfavorable outcome. There are a few steps you should take as you prepare for each negotiation:
- Do your research: Evaluate all sides of the negotiation and consider both your goals and the opposition’s goals
- Know your priorities: Determine what is most important and where you are willing to compromise to achieve the desired outcome
- Consider the opposition: Assess all the potential oppositions and have supporting examples to drive your position home
- Know when to walk away: Not all business is good business and you have to know when a negotiation is no longer worth your effort
- Keep your timeline in mind: Find a sweet spot between rushing a negotiation (potentially leaving something on the table) and dragging it out (potentially losing that deal to competition)
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a solution after a disagreement. Within the 3PL space like Axle Logistics, conflict resolution is utilized daily. Uncontrollable circumstances present themselves each day which at times cause conflict. Navigating these conversations to find a resolution as quickly as possible not only preserves positive client and carrier relationships but increases the ROI on that individual’s time.
It’s a fact of life that between any two people or groups, conflicts are bound to arise over time. The key, especially in business, is recognizing those conflicts and working expediently to resolve them in a way that satisfies both parties to the best of your ability.
Thanks for joining us! If you enjoyed this event, we’d love to see you at our upcoming luncheons and events including:
- 3/9/2022 – March Luncheon: Social Media Today
- 5/4/2022 – Honors Event: Details coming soon
- 5/11/2022 – May Luncheon: The Only Constant in SEO is Change
Keep an eye on our Eventbrite page for more information on upcoming events: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/ama-knoxville-4371428287
