Timothy E. Hull CR

2020 has certainly proven to be an eventful year. Aside from a global health pandemic, national economic shutdown, social unrest, and a heated presidential election, the events of this year have wreaked havoc on the emotional well-being of almost every American.

In the midst of what may arguably be the most significant global event since World War II, economists, politicians, community leaders, and most members of civilized society are struggling to come to grips with what the real fallout of COVID-19 will look like.

One would normally not think of a tailgate party for an NFL football game as an appropriate venue for providing inspiration for sage business advice. However, when you bring together some pretty intelligent folks, good food, and a few high-octane beverages, you never know where a conversation might go.

Most people do not like change. While some forms of change can be exciting, most associate it with risk and uncertainty—especially project managers. Managing change in a project can be one of the most challenging aspects of the job.

In an era of record low unemployment, it is hard to imagine having a serious discussion about building depth of talent at any level, in any organization—especially the direct labor force. 

When I first heard the term BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement), I thought to myself, “No way! That’s a polite way of being okay with failure.” But I soon found that, regardless of where I turned to research negotiation strategies and tactics, the concept came up. The more I read about it and the more I let the theory marinate, the more practical applications I found for it.

I hate being backed into a corner. Whether it’s an employee trying to hold you hostage for a raise or an insurance adjuster standing his ground on the payment of a claim, there is a feeling of helplessness and lack of control which is enough to drive most Type A personalities crazy. This can lead to anger, resentment, and more often than not, regrettable actions.

They say familiarity breeds contempt. Perhaps that is the inspiration for this piece. Or maybe it’s just that after 17 years of dealing with the same issue, you lose patience with it. Especially when the solution seems so simple. At least on the surface.

Just the other day, my kitchen faucet started leaking. It was a familiar leak. I had seen it happen before, shortly after we built our home. The first time it occurred, the plumber who did the original installation came and fixed it under warranty.