Making Tough Calls at Motorola

I am currently a business development manager for the mobile devices business at Motorola, a large technology company based in Schaumburg, Ill. I negotiate and close contracts with software suppliers to get the best possible applications and components on Motorola's mobile phones.

I really wanted this job for two reasons. First, I thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up. How often do you get to negotiate million-dollar contracts for a billion-dollar company by the age of 27? Second, I was horribly uncomfortable negotiating with money and I knew that I needed to get over that if I ever wanted to start a company of my own, which is something I've always dreamed of doing.

I worked for Motorola before I went to business school and didn't expect to return. After three years of bringing emerging mobile technologies to market with Motorola, I decided to pack my bags, go to England, and get my MBA at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. I had originally intended to change industries after the MBA to diversify but just couldn't find anything that was as exciting as my original stomping ground.

The telecom industry is dynamic, and the technology, especially in the mobile phone space, is evolving at a rapid pace. Four years ago cell phones were basic, boring communication tools. Today they're must-have accessories that play MP3s, take five-megapixel pictures, and fit into the tiniest of pockets on your designer jeans.

I looked around at various opportunities and companies in the telecom industry but eventually decided to stay at Motorola. That decision was difficult, and it drove me crazy for weeks. Although I wanted work experience at other companies while it was still early in my career, there were so many business units, job functions, and work locations at Motorola that I'd never be lacking for a new or interesting position. Plus, my internal network of contacts and resources within the company made it easier for me to be considered for job roles -- even those in which I lacked experience.

Here is my typical day:

6:00 a.m. -- Alarm went off 30 minutes ago but intentionally snoozed since then. Time to drag myself out of bed and into the shower.

6:35 a.m. -- Eat breakfast while watching the news. Need to know how bad the traffic is going to be.

6:45 a.m. -- Hop in the car and start my long commute to work. I live in Chicago but work 35 miles away in Libertyville. If traffic is good, I'll get to work by 8 a.m. If traffic is bad, then I'll get there around 8:30 a.m. instead. "Please be good, please be good..."

8:05 a.m. -- Pull into the parking lot and walk to my desk while dialed into a conference call. Luckily I'm just there to listen, so I can keep the phone on mute.

8:15 a.m. -- Turn on my computer and start checking my schedule for the day. Read all new e-mails, then start answering them one by one. Priority is given to those that are urgent or can be answered in two sentences or less.

9:00 to 11:00 a.m. -- Meeting with one of our vendors. The staff there want to show me their road map and discuss how to get their technology integrated into a Motorola phone. We debate various business models and review preliminary technical requirements.

12 p.m. -- Check the signature status on a licensing agreement. The vendor needs it signed by tomorrow so that it can recognize the revenue for this quarter.

12:15 p.m. -- Luckily there's enough time to eat my lunch today. If I haven't brought something, then I can run down to the cafeteria. I usually eat at my desk so I can send e-mails and make phone calls.

1:00 p.m. -- Meet with the product and engineering teams to discuss which vendors are capable of delivering the software that they will need for their next product.

1:45 p.m. -- Stop by my best friend's cubicle on the way back to my desk. We've known each other for 10 years.

2:00 to 4:00 p.m. -- Conference call with another vendor to review the latest revision of the contract. These calls usually involve representatives from business development and legal from both parties.

4:30 p.m. -- The conference call is still going on.... We have spent the last 30 minutes debating how the current wording in clause 4.5 could be interpreted in multiple ways. Painful.

5:15 p.m. -- Finally off the phone. Not much time left to get out today's deliverables. Review another contract and make my changes. E-mail it to a third vendor and propose a time to review it in a couple of days. Start looking for a conference room for next Wednesday's meeting. Send the meeting notice. Answer more e-mails that I have received throughout the day.

6:42 p.m. -- I have to leave in three minutes. Start shutting down my computer but get interrupted when the phone rings. It's a vendor/co-worker in California.

7:00 p.m. -- Finally get off the phone. Need to send a quick e-mail to follow up the call and then shut down my computer. The lights on the fourth floor go out. They automatically turn off at 7 p.m. every day.

7:05 p.m. -- Throw my laptop into my backpack and walk as fast as I can to my car. Drive 16 miles south for my weekly indoor soccer game.

8:00 p.m. -- Exhausted and hungry, I make my way back home. The drive home gives me a chance to think about what I have to get done tomorrow.

9:00 p.m. -- Reheat yesterday's leftovers in the microwave for dinner, then settle on the couch for a few hours of mindless television.

Now that I've been in the role for a while, I'm amused by some of the misconceptions that I originally had about the job. I envisioned everyone in power suits sitting across a table firing out numbers until one side finally broke down from the relentless negotiation. The reality is that it can be a slow and lengthy process where you actually spend a lot more time negotiating legal terms and conditions than pricing.

I have quickly become an expert on how to use legal verbiage to hold or release a party from an obligation. The differences between "shall" and "may" eat up many hours of my time. Had it been available in business school, a course in Contractual Law 101 would have been useful.

So, what does it take to get this job at Motorola? An MBA and engineering degree help but are not mandatory. I think the MBA provides a couple of things: Equal accreditation with your peers and work partners, and the tools to evaluate the business strength of a new vendor.

On a technical level, you need to be comfortable with technology and able to understand software. You don't need to be a programmer, but the more you know and understand about the products you're licensing, the better you are at negotiating what you should pay for them. Basically, the more balanced you are on the business and technical sides, the better you will be at this job.