Today is a grand day for giving thanks.  I wish all my family, friends, colleagues, clients, prospects, web-readers and blog-readers both inside and outside the United States many reasons to give thanks.  We all have things to be thankful for.  The key is remembering to say it.  When something good happens to you, smile and say “Thanks!”.  When something not-so-good happens to you, smile and say “Thanks!”.  For even in the not-so-pleasant events, we can find some nugget.

I recently attended a meeting where a “marketing guru” offered to comment on any audience member’s marketing materials.  Foolishly I submitted my one-sheet.  I was not prepared for his tactless criticism … in front of 35 people he slashed and annihilated my work.  It was so bad that I had quite a few people either come up to me after the meeting or call me the next day to reassure me that he was a jerk.

I was not upset … he clued us in early on as to why he was there.  I don’t believe many of the other participants caught his seemly innocent statement.  It was because of that proclamation that I lent a cautious ear, took the items that I agreed with and chucked the rest.

Yes we can give thanks for anything that happens in our day.  If only because we made it through it!

Is what you said, what you meant to say, and what you thought you said?

According to AIN Alerts on October 21, “Transportation fatalities in the U.S. decreased by 4 percent last year, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the NTSB. Aviation deaths dropped substantially, from 784 to 545 year-over-year. Nearly 90 percent, or 491, of aviation fatalities occurred in general aviation accidents, but they still represented a significant decrease from the 703 GA accident deaths in 2006. “

Are you rejoicing because aviation deaths dropped nearly 31%, or are you fixated on the 545 deaths that occurred? 

It’s not what you said, it’s what we think we read.

I saw this in Aviation Industry Friday 10/31:

The strike at Boeing is over, but now a cut in production is needed

After weeks of production lines lying idle due to strike action by Boeing machinists, at an estimated cost of between $4bn and $5bn in lost revenue alone, the lines are starting to move again. Now that the strike has been dealt with Boeing needs to look at cuts in production. With recession upon us there is an odds-on chance that orders will be deferred or even cancelled in the coming months. This should provide Boeing with the delivery schedule slack that it needs to get back on target. A short-term silver lining if you like.

So, the union leaders who held out for so very long managed to get what they wanted out of Boeing. Or have they? The Unions secured a 15 per cent pay increase but at what point did the union leaders realise that their 52-day strike actually represents 14.25 per cent of their annual pay in the first place! [the italics are mine]

- Philip Tozer-Pennington, Managing Director – Aviation Industry Press (philipt@aviation-industry.com)

Did the union leaders really get what they wanted? I’m sure the union leaders promoted to the rank and file that “we got what we wanted … we got a 15% pay increase! That’s what your union did … aren’t we great to get this for you? Aren’t you glad you belong to the union? The union is really working for you?” The union leaders are happy and the workers are happy.

Management probably is happy too because the strike may have helped Boeing with their production schedule … they didn’t have to pay unemployment or any benefits during this 52-day strike.

So who got the better deal? The 15% pay increase, or the 52-day strike?

It’s not what you said, it’s what they think they heard