Ron Shapiro, Chairman, Shapiro Negotiations Institute

Sports agent, attorney, corporate consultant and New York Times best-selling author, Ron Shapiro holds the “unofficial” record for representing more MLB hall of famers than any other agent.

Professional

What I Like …

An insight: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that really counts.” — Harry Truman.

An influential person in my career: An ex-law partner who said, “We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it.” It changed my entire outlook on life, as I completely disagreed.

An out-of-the-box idea: Peace Players International using basketball to unite and educate young people in divided communities around the world.

A timeless idea: In order to get what you want, help them get what they want.

A sports event:Jackie Robinson playing in his first Major League game for the Dodgers.

A strategy: Meeting any challenge with the 3 P’s: Prepare, Probe and Propose.

A hire: Michael Maas, my sports agency partner for almost 30 years.

A brand: Under Armour.

An innovation: Online photo galleries, which permit our family to share pictures almost instantaneously — and to store them, too.

A pro league or team business initiative: The Dodgers have tied media and innovative baseball experiences, like My Town, Bleacher Beach, and My Dodger Moment, directly to their various fans’ bases. Special experiences like Under the Lights hitting, Junior Dodger training clinics and Blue Heaven Sleepover hit a variety of fan sweet spots.

An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Amazon’s wireless reading device, the Kindle.

What I Like About …

Sports: The impact that teams doing well can have on their communities.

Sports business: The vitality and passion of most people involved in it.

Sports media: Those who dig to get the facts right.

Sports technology: Being able to keep up with numerous friends and family members working for different teams with the click of a mouse.

Sports fans: The common bond that exists in a stadium between people from all walks of life.

What I Would Like To …

Change: The conflict approach to negotiation that all too often arises between players and clubs.

Change in what I do: Learn to say no a bit more to requests for my time.

See: More diversity in the fan base of MLB.

See more of in sports: A better balance of competition.

See more of in sports business: Players who match their accomplishments on the field with their contributions to the community.

See less of in sports business: Focus on the negative actions rather than the positive accomplishments of players and other participants.

See different: The NCAA rules affecting the baseball draft.

Eliminate: Members of the media who pretend to know, but lack the information.

What I Don’t Like …

In general: The lack of civility that divides rather than unites people.

In sports: Those who fail to hear the voices and recognize the needs and potential of the non-corporate customers.

About sports fans: Those who lack respect and decency and prevent others from enjoying the game.

Personal

What I Like …

Above all else: My wife, Cathi.

Heroes: My immigrant father who made this country a true land of opportunity for his family.

Players: I’ve been blessed: From Brooks Robinson, to Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr., Kirby Puckett, Dan Wilson, Sean Casey to Joe Mauer and so many others in between, there has been an amazing array of greatness on the field, matched by goodness off the field.

Teams: The 1983 Baltimore Orioles — I represented more than 20 of the players.

City: Baltimore is best.

Memento: Spurs 2007 NBA championship ring, and Orioles 1983 World Series ring.

Time of year (because): Fall because of the intertwined seasons of the various sports, the weather and the Butler Conference of Leaders, which I host at my farm.

Music: Classical music plays in my office throughout the day, and show tunes and Beatles songs are great sources of pleasure.

Books: “Team of Rivals,” “John Adams,” “Parting the Waters,” “The Plague” and “The Brothers K.”

Gadgets: BlackBerry.

Trips: Asia, Alaska, Middle East.

Movies: Sports: “The Natural,” “Hoosiers.” General: “Schindler’s List,” “Love Actually.”

TV: “The American Experience,” “SportsCenter,” Brian Williams, almost any other news show.

Concerts: Bruce Springsteen.

Dessert:Cathi’s apple pie.

Drink: Cabernet or Shiraz, Diet Pepsi with Lime, and Diet Peach Tea.

Scent: Wood-burning fireplace.

Vacation spots: Cannon Beach, Ore.; Bethany Beach, Del.; Jerusalem.

Cars: My Ford 500 (discontinued, but I love it).

Quote: “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill.