‘Tis the season for annual meetings, political fund raisers and events that challenge us to find more hours to our days and more days to our weeks, not to mention speedier routes for traveling between these gatherings and more financial support for these worthy causes. It was refreshing to be invited to an event that promised personal positive gain after weeks spent improving the lives and/or status of others. Once again, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce provided us with the opportunity of life-long learning through their ongoing “Meet the Authors” series.
Andre Bello, author of The Sword and The Spirit: A Negotiation Tale, captivated the early morning audience at the Graduate Club with his “mutual gains approach.” Influenced by his Caribbean roots, combined with Harvard education and high-level executive management positions in sales, marketing, and strategic planning, he presented principles and examples for arriving at win-win solutions. With his wonderful humor and lilting tones, it was easy to understand why he is so highly sought as a speaker at important international forums and prominent academic institutions. We are fortunate that Kiwi Publishing is located in Woodbridge, allowing for additional forums to be scheduled to bring Andre here from Jamaica, where he resides. On June 27, he will present a half-day seminar at the Rusty Scupper, starting at 8A.M. There are several others scheduled around the state.
Eitan Battat, owner of Kiwi, was also on hand to assist the author.
Tony Rescigno, the Chamber’s exec, is clearly a practitioner of “win-win” strategies. He collaborated with sponsors New Haven Building and Construction Trade Council, The New Haven Register and Response, LLC (a new advertising agency in town), along with the Graduate Club. Who else would have thought to highlight the unions’ support of business, particularly with negotiation as the topic? Ben Cozzi, who wears a number of union leadership titles, read the book prior to arrival and was a wonderful advocate for it and for continuing the relationship with the chamber’s membership. He brought some of his staff to learn and to mingle.
The conclusion, of course, is that we all wound up winners and the time was well spent in our ongoing quest for THE GREATER GOOD!