June 22, 2023

When we look at pro athletes in the US, one of the most common challenges constantly arising for these players is trust. These high-profile stars have different goals and agendas in mind.

Trust is often tested within the organizations these athletes play in. One day the player believes that their job is locked in so they are confidently able to settle in a new town or city, move their family, find a new home, and send their kids to new schools. The next day their agents call to inform them that they’ve been traded for draft picks and/or a superstar that will help the team stack up better against the other contenders in the league. These matters are by no means simple to deal with.

Or, what about a player who thinks he’s about to sign with a top shoe brand and the next day the company pulls out of the deal for unclear reasons and little to no explanation. Or, perhaps the player was under the impression that they received great advice about a particular investment which the athlete ended up taking part in, only to find out later that the investment completely failed, thus, causing the player to lose a lot of money. And the list goes on…

With all that said, one thing that is very important when dealing with athletes is to focus heavily on what the Arbinger Institute calls “The Outward Mindset.” The gist of this concept is to first analyze how to assist others instead of oneself, knowing that all will work out for our best in the end.

At NNA Advisors, the best interest of the player and his/her family must always be top of mind and this needs to be visible and understood in all interactions, meetings, and conversations with the player, their family and anyone trying to work with the world-renowned star. Fruitful long-term relationships must first be built on trust.

To conclude, doing the right thing is always the right thing, even if in the near future it’s not ideal for those acting on behalf of the athletes. As 13-time NBA Finals Champion Phil Jackson once said, “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.”

Feel free to contact me if you want to work together.

Stay well.

Alex Posen
Aposen@nnaplan.com
(718) 618-9641