Program: Fotini Iconomopoulos - The art of negotiation
Messages this week from our Club President, Tracey Curtis
Hello Rotarians. Here are two items of upliftment from the start of this week's meeting:
First ... in this Covid-halted season with no Guelph Storm games, no Ontario Hockey League, no Memorial Cup, etc., the fact that Canada's Juniors just won the IIHF National Men's U18 World Hockey Championship slipped under the radar for a lot of Canadians. Watch our ecstatic young team celebrate at the medal ceremony after their final winning game against Russia in Texas on May 6, 2021, to bring home the gold for the first time since 2013. The video clip is quite long, ending with a raucous rendition of O Canada. Thanks for highlighting this good news, Rick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DQWr4nC4Jw
Second ... here is a very entertaining video just for fun, forecasting that in the not too distant future, the world will start coming back, and we'll be celebrating life again with hugs and kisses. Smile. https://youtu.be/G7mOX7NE8ZI
Hang on for just a few more weeks. As more and more of us are vaccinated, and cases continue to trend downward, there's light at the end of the tunnel.
And please continue to reach out to others. Even a phone call and chat can make a big difference to someone else ... and benefit you, too.
Thank you Mike Lawrie, District Governor 7080 for 2020-2021, for attending our meeting today, and for your leadership in this strange Covid year.
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Member Birthdays & Anniversaries:
Many happy returns to:
Paul Dredge - May 16
Paul Truex - May 17
Congratulations on these Rotary anniversaries:
Irene Szabo - 2 years (May 17, 2019)
Trevor Lee - 20 years (May 18, 2001)
Dianne Dane - 4 years (May 19, 2017)
Thank you for your service, Rotarians! We truly appreciate you.
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Member News:
Ab and Alice Moore are in our sorrowful hearts and thoughts. Their son Mark passed away in hospice in California on Sunday, May 16, from aggressive cancer diagnosed just a few weeks ago. Like his dad, Mark was a great Rotarian, an incredible leader and recipient of many international awards. His passing is a great loss to Rotary and to humanity. Ab and Alice, we are thinking of you and the family.
Dave Iacocca has joined the Rotary Club of Guelph. Welcome Dave! We are pleased to have you in our midst.
Canada Day activities - details coming soon. As we all know, Canada Day in the Park is again not possible this year. Matt Webster outlined the three tiers of our 2021 celebration.
A drone show on Canada Day, in the evening
A virtual Citizenship Ceremony
Canada Day in a Bag, with great things to celebrate Canada Day at home. Sponsors are still being sought for this.
Committee Signups for our club. It's that time of year again to put your name forward for club committees that you can support in the next Rotary year commencing July 1, 2021. Just follow the link emailed to all members on May 18. Please respond by the end of May so that we can start prepping our Members' Handbook for 2021-2022. Read committee details here.
Duck Race Tickets are on sale now. Read more on our club home page here. Or go straight to GotDuck.cato purchase tickets. This year, the theme is around food. Watch the 60 second promo video here ... it was produced by Noah Van Dam, grandson of Martin Van Dam, Guelph Wellington club's president.
Three Early Bird Draws each offer $500 in vouchers to local restaurants - May 18, June 1 and June 15
The Grand Prize is $500 per month for a year of food from Zehr's - prize drawn on Canada Day
Net proceeds from the Duck Race will go to Food4Kids Guelph to help feed children living in severely food-insecure families. This Rotary-inspired charity is currently supporting 335 children from 21 schools.
Rotary District 7080 Virtual Conference on May 29, 2021 from 9am to 12:30pm. Details are here. The theme is "Take Care of Yourself, Each Other, & The Planet." Well worth attending! Cost is $20.
Tour de Guelph - have you registered to ride yet, or sponsored anyone in the important annual fundraiser for the Guelph General Hospital plus two of our Guelph Rotary clubs? Go here. Also, help amazing Guelph South Rotarian Charlie Barnes (84) reach his fundraising target of $11,000 as he completes the 50km event - go here.
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If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages here. There are four different topics you can donate to.
Matt Webster was made happy by receiving an unexpected call from Domingo Bernal to wish Matt happy birthday! Small kindnesses mean a lot.
Domingo Bernal thanked Rotarians for their continued donations of bottles, from which $2,000 has now been raised towards vegetable gardens in the Guatemala project. And Domingo is happy with a new volunteer who is willing to help pick up and drop off bottles in this ongoing drive.
Anne MacKay gave a shout-out to the Guelph General Hospital for their wonderful recent treatment for her dad, and to his warm friends at the Village By the Arboretum for rallying around.
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Program this week - May 14, 2021
Fotini Iconomopoulos:
THE ART OF NEGOTIATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Tracey was excited to welcome our guest speaker and author of the book "Say Less, Get More". In fact, said Tracey, she had attended a fantastic workshop by Fotini a couple of years back and still had the valuable notes from that!
As a professional speaker and lecturer, we were honoured that Fotini had agreed to address our club - no doubt due to Tracey's enthusiasm!
After a formal introduction by Chris Willard, Fotini launched into her well polished and entertaining talk. It was easy to see why she is hired by executives and their teams to improve their abilities in negotiation, communication and persuasion. And also why she is employed as an instructor of MBA Negotiations at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto.
Fotini said, "I help people get what they want. Nicknamed 'the negotiator' as a child, I have always channeled my energy into my passion for the power of forward thinking."
Some her top tips:
Allowing a silence to stretch in a negotiation is a power move. "You look far more credible than if you’re thinking and talking at the same time.” In fact, she said, get comfortable pressing your mental pause button. Say Less, Get More.
When you do speak, “Ask great questions.” Avoid Yes or No questions, which provide the other person with a chance to shut them down, and go for How or What questions instead. That gets the other person talking, and makes them feel like they’re part of the solution, when the reality is that by asking the questions, the one in charge of the conversation is you.
Today's access to information by everyone with an Internet connection has changed the former power-dynamic in negotiations. Strong-arm tactics (bullying?) by the perceived expert often don't work any more, so an empathetic approach is more successful today.
Time flew by with Fotini's high-powered yet down-to-earth talk, and she was sincerely thanked at the end by Barb Holmes.
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Upcoming programs
Check our home page for upcoming speakers. Invite guests!
Friday, May 21, 2021 at 12:15pm - Eleni Bakopoulos - Up close and personal (introduction by a newish member)
Friday, May 28, 2021 at 12:15pm - John Wills - Up close and personal (introduction by a member)
Friday, June 4, 2021 at 12:15pm - Danny Williamson - Media Contact for WDG Public Health
Dave Iacocca has joined the Rotary Club of Guelph. Welcome Dave! We are pleased to have you in our midst. 
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If you're happy and you know it, contribute your Happy Bucks on our club's GiveSome pages 
Fotini Iconomopoulos:
