The negotiating QB

June 21, 2010
Edited by: PON_Staff, filed in: Business Negotiations, Daily, Financial Negotiations, Negotiation, Personal Negotiations

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Adapted from “The Brett Favre Trade: A Win-win Deal in a Win-lose Game,” first published in the Negotiation newsletter.

In the middle of the National Football League’s off-season, as legendary quarterback Brett Favre weighs for the third year in a row whether to return to football or accept retirement, it’s worth revisiting the negotiations behind his first comeback.

Just five months after hanging up his cleats in March 2008, Favre, the Green Bay Packers’ longtime QB, bounded out of retirement. Favre appeared surprised when the Packers, who had already invested in a new quarterback and strategy for the post-Favre era, failed to welcome him back with open arms. Because Favre had signed a “lifetime” 10-year contract extension with the Packers in 2001, the team had control over his future in the NFL. The QB known as the gunslinger suddenly found himself fighting to get on the field.

See more at: http://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/the-negotiating-qb/?mqsc=E06/22/10+7:30+AM

Questioning threats

June 21, 2010
Edited by: PON_Staff, filed in: Business Negotiations, Crisis Negotiations, Daily, Family Relationships, Financial Negotiations, International Negotiation, Negotiation, Personal Negotiations

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Adapted from “How to Defuse Threats at the Bargaining Table,” by Katie A. Liljenquist (professor, Brigham Young University) and Adam D. Galinsky (professor, Northwestern University), first published in the Negotiationnewsletter.

Sooner or later, every negotiator faces threats at the bargaining table. How should you respond when the other side threatens to walk away, file a lawsuit, or damage your reputation?

The first step in effective threat diagnosis is to remove yourself from the situation—physically and/or psychologically. You might suggest to your counterpart that it’s time for a break, or imagine that you’re an outside observer and try to evaluate the threat more objectively. By detaching yourself from the situation, you can calm your emotions and truly hear what the other side is saying.

See more at: http://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/questioning-threats/?mqsc=E06/22/10+7:30+AM

When peace breaks out

June 22, 2010
Edited by: PON_Staff, filed in: Business Negotiations, Conflict Resolution, Daily, Dispute Resolution, Family Relationships, Financial Negotiations, International Negotiation, Negotiation, Personal Negotiations

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Adapted from “Framing a Negotiation to Foster Cooperation,” first published in theNegotiation newsletter.

Sometimes in negotiation, against all apparent odds, peace breaks out. Union leaders and management reach a last-minute agreement that averts a work stoppage. Litigants settle their differences as they mount the courthouse steps. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief and moves on.

But it’s worth considering what, exactly, tips a relationship from conflict into accord. In a study of Canadian workplace disputes, professor Jean Poitras of HEC Montréal asked participants in a mandatory mediation process what encouraged or discouraged them from cooperating with the other party in the initial session. The desire to find a solution to the conflict was the most frequently stated positive factor. Significantly, pragmatic considerations such as this were cited three times more often than “the need to maintain, reestablish, or improve” the relationship with the other side and five times as often as a party’s own willingness to “assume his or her share of responsibility” for the problem.

See more: http://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/business-negotiations/when-peace-breaks-out/?mqsc=E06/22/10+7:30+AM

Oakland, CA: The Get Down - A Party for Anyone Committed to Social Justice

Come and join us for The Get Down - a party for anyone committed to social justice. With some good company, we'll spend the evening enjoying tasty food, delicious cocktails and lively discussions about political and social issues.

Social change doesn't happen overnight - it's the relationships that we create that sustain the movement. We hope that you can join us as we create a space for people to have fun and connect with one another. We work hard, but to sustain ourselves and the movement, sometimes, we've got to play hard too. Please join us.

See more at: http://www.ellabakercenter.org/?p=sotc_mixer_2010_06

Turn Your Own Best Interests into Reality Through Negotiation

Thursday, June 24, 2010

State and city governments are locked in heated negotiations with beverage makers over a proposed tax on soda and other sweet drinks. Legislators argue that imposing a new fee will ease budget deficits and help in the fight against obesity. Soft drink manufacturers claim that stiffer costs will penalize consumers unnecessarily, especially low-income households, and lead to layoffs at distribution and bottling plants. Both sides insist that they have the public's best interests at heart. Is negotiation a zero sum game, where one party wins and one party loses? How much should each side concede in order to reach an equitable agreement? These questions are just a few of the critical issues that will be explored and studied in the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives. More than ever before, you need to know how to be a respected negotiator if you want your organization to thrive. At this seminar, you'll learn from experts on negotiation from Harvard, MIT and Tufts -- educators and researchers teaching you effective strategies and techniques. Participating in the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives course will teach you how to break through seemingly impenetrable walls and start an active dialogue with your opposing party. You'll see how to take charge and lead the conversation without antagonism, and focus on the issues that are key to your side. You'll learn different tools for building trust at the bargaining table and for bringing a negotiation to a satisfying conclusion. Most of all, you'll dramatically increase your value in the eyes of your organization. Participating in the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives will improve your professional and daily life negotiating skills.

Companies conserving water surprised by savings by Candace Lombardi

Water is not only the next big environmental issue, but also the next savings opportunity, according to several companies.

A survey conducted by research analyst Ethical Corporation in May 2010 found that 99 percent of corporate sustainability managers saw water becoming a top priority for businesses in the next 5 to 10 years. The report "Unlocking the Profit in Water Savings" found that 52 percent of sustainability managers ranked "water stewardship" within the top five most important issues they now deal with.

But more interesting is the hard data supporting the trend. Companies have found that saving water equates with saving money even when including initial infrastructure investments, according to the report.

The report, which included interviews with global giants like Unilever, Kraft, Coca-Cola, and Shell, found many companies surprised by water savings outperforming estimates after they initiated company water conservation projects.

Sainsbury's, for example, a leading U.K. supermarket chain, has saved 1.6 million pounds (about $2.4 million) since fixing leaks, installing sensors on urinals, and reducing toilet water capacity, according to Ethical Corporation.

See more at: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20007897-54.html

Gucci Aims to Reduce Packaging, CO2 Emissions

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At the center of Gucci’s new eco program is the company’s ‘green’ packaging initiative that aims to reduce materials consumption,exclusively use paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and be 100 percent recyclable. The initiative will be launched at all of Gucci’s 284 directly operated global stores starting in June 2010.

Through Gucci’s new eco program, the company expects to reduce 35 tons of plastic waste, 1,400 tons of paper, about 10,000 tons of CO2 emissions and about 4 million liters of gasoline by the end of 2010.

All of Gucci’s suppliers participating in the launch of the new packaging are FSC certified. The FSC certification verifies that all trees used to create the paper for the shopping bags and gift boxes come from well managed forests and that every stage in the production chain meets the FSC standards, says Gucci.

The inside of the shopping bag features the sentence: This shopping bag is FSC certified and made of 100 percent recyclable material. All plastic laminated surfaces have been removed from the shopping bags and boxes. Tissue paper is no longer coated and both ribbon and garment bags have been switched from polyester to cotton.

Gucci has committed to purchasing all FSC-certified forest products by the end of 2010 to ensure that no paper is being sourced from endangered forests including the rainforests of Indonesia. The company also will continue to seek alternative fiber options to use in its packaging products, include biodegradable bags made of corn, bamboo and cotton.

See more at: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/06/14/gucci-aims-to-reduce-packaging-co2-emissions/

Obama v BP

America’s justifiable fury with BP is degenerating into a broader attack on business

Jun 17th 2010

FOR over a month, Barack Obama watched the oil spill spread over the Gulf of Mexico with the same powerless horror as other Americans. Finally, lampooned by his countrymen for his impotence, he was spurred into action. He attacked the only available target—BP—and, to underline the seriousness with which he takes this problem, he gave his first Oval Office address on the subject.

The address got poor reviews; the attack on BP better ones. This week the firm bowed to pressure, and announced that it was, in effect, handing over $20 billion to the government to pay for compensation and clean-up, as well as cancelling the payment of any dividends this year and setting up a fund—of a mere $100m—to compensate unemployed oil workers.

This may do Mr Obama some good. Whether it will benefit America is more doubtful. Businessmen are already gloomy, depressed by the economy and nervous of their president’s attitude towards them. This episode will not encourage them.

See more at: http://www.economist.com/node/16377269?story_id=16377269&source=features_box_mainl

Starwood Launches Green Meeting Guidelines for All Hotels Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/06/10/starwood-launches-green-meeting-guidelin

By GreenerBuildings Staff

Published June 10, 2010

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Tags: Energy Efficiency, Food & Agriculture, More... Energy Efficiency, Food & Agriculture, Meetings, Printing & Paper, Resource Efficiency, Tourism & Hospitality

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has introduced green meeting guidelines at its North American properties and plans to roll out the practices globally next year.

The hotel chain, which operates 1,000 properties around the world, unveiled the Starwood Sustainable Meeting Practices this week. The strategies are to be incorporated in all meetings and events conducted at the facilities operated Starwood and its brands.

The program involves 18 practices that are grouped into five core categories. Highlights include:

• Paperless Meeting Planning -- Tools typically used in the planning process have gone digital, including sales proposals, menu selection, room list creation, and reservation cross-checking.
• Sustainable Meeting Services -- When paper products are needed, materials made from recycled and recyclable content can be provided; use of eco-friendly non-paper tools such as LED signage and white board is offered; access to green transportation services is available; and recycling bins are provided for all meeting spaces.
• Sustainable Food & Beverage Practices -- In addition to providing sustainable food choices for meeting menus, the hotels can use tables that do not require coverings as well as china, utensils and other tableware that are reusable. The properties are to provide alternatives to bottled water and eco-friendly containers for box lunches or other circumstances when packaging is required. Donation of leftover food also is to be arranged if requested.
• Impact Assessment Tools -- Hotels are to generate a report for clients that shows the impact of their meeting on the environment.
• Socially Conscious Activities -- Hotels are also to advise clients of team-building or volunteer activities that enable meeting attendees to aid the local community.

A year in the making, the program "formalizes environmental practices our hotels have been implementing and we are excited to encourage," said Sandy Swider, Starwood's vice president for Global Citizenship said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/06/10/starwood-launches-green-meeting-guidelines-all-hotels#ixzz0s1RAoPys

Why the So-Called "Marriage Gap" Is Good for Your RelationshipWhy the So-Called "Marriage Gap" Is Good for Your Relationship

Douglas LaBier

Director, Center for Progressive Development

Posted: June 16, 2010 02:08 PM

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Like it or not, our society is undergoing major shifts as you read these words. Among them is increased questioning about marriage -- whether to enter one to begin with; stay in it regardless of what happens over time; or adopt alternatives to it. Unfortunately, some recent attempts to interpret these shifts contribute more confusion than clarity.

First, some facts:

• The divorce rate continues to hover at around 50%, regardless of increased sensitivity to the potential emotional and financial impact of divorce upon couples and their children.

• Polls find that about 60% of those surveyed accept affairs; and about 30% actually admit to having had one.

• The marriage rate has dropped by 37% in the last four decades.

See more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/douglas-labier/why-the-so-called-marriag_b_614566.html