HowardGivner.com

The Fallacy of Win-Win Negotiations

Howard Givner — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:07:19 +0000

In the past ten years or so, any article, seminar or blog post on negotiations seems to focus on “kinder, gentler, negotiations”. It’s all “win-win” negotiations now, and nobody gets the better of anybody. Planner and supplier discuss their needs, and work out a kumbaya-style agreement, after which they stroll arm and arm into the [...]

“Everyone Has A Plan Until They Get Punched In The Mouth”

Howard Givner — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:05:04 +0000

Reporter: “I hear your opponent has a clever plan for defensing your left hook. How do you respond?” (Heavyweight boxing champ) Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” How great is that quote? Tyson, of course, was known far more for his fierce punching power, intimidating stare, and occasional [...]

Looking At Your Operation with Fresh Eyes

Howard Givner — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:53:58 +0000

Yahoo is in trouble. This one-time colossus of the internet world, that was for many years the darling of investors, has lost its way. After firing CEO Carol Bartz in September, the Board of Directors Business launched a strategic review of the company. Business pundits say it has time for one more CEO change, and [...]

The Association is Dead. Long Live the Association.

Howard Givner — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:16:24 +0000

“Remind me why I should renew my membership again?” This is a phrase every association is grappling with, and how they respond now will determine whether they survive or slowly die out. Twenty years ago if you wanted education and networking opportunities within your profession, associations were the place to go. In fact, they were [...]

Steve Jobs, Calligraphy & Crowd-Sourcing

Howard Givner — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 03:53:40 +0000

You know that game where you fantasize about whom you’d invite to a dinner party? Well, Steve Jobs was always high on my list. (Along with Winston Churchill). When I heard that he died, I felt a tremendous sense of sadness and loss. Jobs was someone who saw a better way to do things, a [...]

Telling Truth to Power (Clients)

Howard Givner — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 17:16:56 +0000

“The customer is always right,” is a mantra we hear so often that it’s become canonized as one of the first rules of business. Alas, like most sweeping generalizations, it is also blindly misapplied. For while it might make plenty of sense in retail, when it comes to consulting (or event planning), it can ruin [...]

Getting Your Business to that Elusive ‘Next Level’

Howard Givner — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:14:29 +0000

When you’re in school they make it pretty clear what it takes for you to move up to the next grade: do your homework, pass your finals and maintain a certain grade point average, and off you go. Out in the workplace, it gets a little harder, but in most companies you can also find [...]

If the Events Industry Disappeared Tomorrow, Would It Matter?

Howard Givner — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:12:31 +0000

What we do in the events industry doesn’t matter in the world. Well, not much anyway. If you’re waiting for my typical sarcastic follow up line, it’s not coming. Sorry. That’s what the ten year anniversary of 9/11, or any truly sobering moment, does to me. It makes me realize how little what we do [...]

Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time

Howard Givner — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:14:18 +0000

If you’re like me, you’re constantly frustrated by not getting all the things done that are on your To Do list. Figuring out what to do is the easy part for us, and we simply assume that putting it on that list is all it takes to ensure completion. Bzzzzz! Wrong answer! Johnny, show our [...]

Failing Up: The Blessing of Mistakes

Howard Givner — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:37:36 +0000

Mistakes are part of the human condition. By nature we are utterly imperfect beings. Eventually, we screw up in everything we do: relationships, finances, business, you name it. We can’t help it. What we can help, however, is how we react to these mistakes. We can blame them on others, on circumstance, on getting a [...]