North Goes East then Quickly West!
George North is a big man. Currently on tour in Australia with the British and Irish Lions, North stands at 6 feet 4 inches and weighs in at 240 lbs. That is over 17 stones in old money, as my mother would say.
He is also only 21 years old and a prodigious rugby talent. In the first test he scored a phenomenal individual try and in the second a thunderous tackle that sent the Wallaby Israel Folau back several meters.
North plays on the wing and to add to his size and speed he also has a serious sidestep. You can see it in action for yourself here.
What is amazing is that North only learned his sidestep recently. Under tutelage from the Dutchman Frans Bosch, who is better known for working with high jumpers, North was taught the basic 5 moves that make the sidestep work.
Then hours and hours of practice allowed North to leave the Australian full back, Berrick Barnes for dead.
Developing any skill requires practice. But practice itself is useless unless it is properly directed. The negotiator who recognizes the process they are engaged in and has the appropriate skill toolbox to call on at the right moment will often change the game in their favor.
There are times when you may need to surprise the other side into thinking and acting differently. Develop flexibility into your thinking and interrupt the other side of the table.