Friday, February 18, 2005

NHL = No Hockey League

I would classify myself as a good sports fan but not a hockey fan yet I find it disturbing to hear that the league and players can not agree to terms and thereby have canceled the season. Why are these two parties unable to come to terms? Have they considered that unless they agree and play the other party (and this group by the way what may really be the major party to this) their fans, their market place are left out in the cold? How many season ticket holders will not renew? How many will jump into this opportunity to take their place? All this remains to be seen as the drama continues to play out.

Reading Stephen Covey's The 8th Habit while coming home from work on the train, I found one section in particular relates very well to this situation. Stephen writes:

"My experience is that if people really try to understand each other, they will, in most but not all cases, come to agree with one another. Why? Because over 90 percent of communication problems are caused by differences in semantics or perceptions. Again, semantics means the way you define words or terms. Perception means how you interpret data. Whenever people listen to each other with true empathy, that is, within the other’s frame of reference, both semantic and perceptional problems dissolve … This is because they are listening within the others frame of reference. They’re sensing how the other defines words and terms, or how the other interprets meaning and data. This puts them on the same song sheet, using the same language, which then enables them to get on with problem solving on the other 10 percent of the genuine disagreements. The spirit of mutual understanding is so affirming, so healing, so bonding that when people do discuss their disagreements, they do it in agreeable ways and usually are able to solve them either through synergy or a form of compromise."

I wonder what the real issue is in the No Hockey League?

Updated: Mark Cuban adds his financial viewpoint to this situation. Follow this link to his post and comments.

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