Scotwork's Tales from the Table 2020

“We find our daily lives transformed in ways we never thought possible.”

great pride in doing both well. In fact, that’s likely the reason why our businesses are successful in the first place. However, at this moment it’s important to think through how you can give the other party what they’re asking for in a way that’s acceptable to you. This requires you to hit pause and create some space. Instead of trying to find all of the reasons to say “no,” find the ways you can say “yes.” Think about what you want and need in return. Just because we’re in the midst of a crisis doesn’t mean that you have to give everything away. Take time to think about your trades. This Crisis Is Only Momentary — Negotiate Accordingly The changes you make to an agreement in order to address current issues can become the new norm unless you put limitations and “Much of the conflict you’ll be dealing with is emotionally driven.”

qualifiers on the terms that you’ve agreed to. For instance, simple phrasings, like “one-time” or “COVID-19-related,” can help you to ensure that the other side doesn’t come back, post-crisis, expecting your generosity to continue ad infinitum. Instead, you’ll be in a position to limit the changes that were made during an extraordinary moment in time. Emotions Still Exist in the Virtual World Much of the conflict you’ll be dealing with is emotionally driven. After all, people are worried about their jobs, taking care of their families, and/ or saving their businesses. Communicating virtually can sometimes mask underlying emotion. If you ignore those emotions, you could very well be viewed as callous. Worse yet, ignoring them could turn a collaborative conversation into a competitive one. While you might not be able to control the emotions of others, I would encourage you to be mindful of your emotional state. If you’re feeling too close to the issues or too emotionally invested, consider bringing someone with you who’s less attached to the situation’s outcome. They can provide you with perspective and balance. With all of that said, minimizing COVID-19’s long-term financial impact while managing at-risk contracts will take discipline, mindfulness, and commitment to a vision that extends beyond this moment. But if you put this time to use wisely and incorporate the virtual opportunities presented by necessity, you can come out of this in far better shape than you might have imagined.

Made with FlippingBook Proposal Creator