In survey after survey, meetings get knocked by everyone from employees to senior executives as being among the biggest waste of work hours.

In one poll, by Office Team, 45 percent of senior executives said their firms would be more productive if they banned all meetings at least one day a week!

"The problem that often occurs - beyond the obvious, like lacking a clear agenda - is the underlying current of competition that each person brings to the table," says Berny Dohrmann, chairman and founder of CEO Space International, and author of "Redemption: The Cooperation Revolution," (www.ceospaceinternational.com).

"Competition pulls people apart; cooperation brings them together. Signs that competition is causing unproductive meetings include one or two people dominating the floor; individuals touting their achievements; people consistently failing to contribute their ideas because they fear being criticized or ridiculed."

The drive to compete is so ingrained in most of us, we often don't recognize it, Dohrmann says.

"We get it culturally. We learn it in school. It's often reinforced within our own families as we're growing up. We have to be aware of that and identify the culture we want, and then set about creating it - beginning with our meetings."

Cooperative meetings yield far better results, he says. People working together toward a goal are more efficient, more productive, and even happier. The group pulling together toward the same goal will achieve that goal far more quickly than individuals each pulling in opposite directions, Dohrmann says.

How can you turn competition into cooperation - and wasted meetings into fruitful gatherings? He offers these suggestions:

• Begin instituting culture change by rewarding cooperative behavior. When someone makes a suggestion that can help another individual or department, publicly acknowledge and praise that teamwork. Encourage inter-departmental interest, empathy and even personal bonds by allowing employees from one area to shadow employees from another. Remind everyone that when one department succeeds, everyone succeeds. Look for managers and employees who tend to be naturally cooperative and enlist them as mentors and leaders to encourage and spread the new culture.

• Identify and curb competitive behavior in meetings. Avoid discouraging the behavior with tactics that rely on public criticism, scorn or ridicule. Rather, set egalitarian standards, such as time limits for each person to speak, and stick to them. When someone strays off topic, discern whether he or she is sharing a potentially valuable idea or seeking a personal competitive advantage (i.e. by laying blame, self-promoting, etc.) before steering him back on topic.

• Participation is essential to cooperation. Require everyone to participate in meetings. Circulate the agenda in advance with the stated expectation that each attendee will come to the table prepared to address at least one item - even if it's not an item within their area of responsibility. Participation is a key component of a cooperative work group and making it the norm is often as simple as getting everyone into the habit.

About Berny Dohrmann

Berny Dohrmann is chairman and founder of CEO Space International, one of the largest support organizations for business owners. As the inventor of Super Teaching, a Title I technology that accelerates retention for public schools, he is a frequently a guest speaker to various nations, VIP conferences and television programs. As a member of the Dohrmann family, which operated the largest global resort-outfitting firm as Dohrmann Hotel Supply for several generations, he grew up with several business mentors, including Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Walt Disney, Warner Earnhardt, Bucky Fuller, Dr. Edward Deming and Jack Kennedy. He has learned from both success and adversity: Indicted for criminal contempt for a $86,000 junk bund from an investment banking firm he had sold, he fought the charge in court, but lost in 1995 and went to prison for 18 months. He has since made a documentary about the experience.

Travel in rural Scott County is not recommended due to extremely limited visibility from blowing snow. If you must travel, use extreme caution, make sure you have a severe weather travel kit and that someone knows your travel route and estimated time of arrival.

Due to these travel conditions, help could be delayed in getting to your emergency.

Urges U.S. EPA to Reconsider Decision to Lower Renewable Fuel Standard; Cites Economic and Clean Air Benefits

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that he is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider a decision that would cause decreased production of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. The U.S. EPA wants to reduce the volume of renewable fuels that must be used in the nation's retail fuel supply. This decision could impact Illinois farmers who grow renewable fuel crops like corn and soybeans, and it could also affect the air we breathe since renewable fuels create less air pollution. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure a clean and healthy environment for future generations.

"Illinois farmers benefit because they produce the materials needed for renewable fuels, and less dependence on foreign energy sources means consumers have a more stable and economical source of fuel," Governor Quinn said. "We also help the environment through the cleaner air we get when less petroleum is burned."

Governor Quinn submitted a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging that the agency's proposed new Renewable Fuel Standard rule be reconsidered. The letter accompanied comments from several Illinois state agencies about the benefits of renewable fuel production to the state and the nation's economic and physical well-being. Governor Quinn also submitted a letter to the U.S. EPA as the new chairman of the Governors' Biofuels Coalition, a bipartisan group of the nation's governors pushing for biofuel development and use.

Biofuels have an economic impact of $5.3 billion in Illinois according to the Illinois Renewable Fuels Association. The Illinois ethanol industry is third in the nation with 14 ethanol plants providing 4,000 jobs that produce enough ethanol to displace 35 percent of the state's petroleum usage. Illinois has five plants that produce about 200 million gallons of biodiesel. The export of Illinois dried distillers grains, a byproduct of ethanol production, topped $1 billion in 2013, more than 20 percent ahead of the previous year; Illinois soy meal exports for fuel production were more than $215 million last year, up 40 percent.

"The claim that the Renewable Fuel Standard eliminates a source of livestock feed is a misconception," Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Bob Flider said. "The fact is that one of the by-products of ethanol production is a ready-made livestock feed called dried distillers grains. Research demonstrates these grains have a higher protein concentration than even pre-ethanol corn, making them a more efficient animal feed. The bottom line is that renewable fuels like ethanol are good for the environment, good for economy and good for agriculture."

The use of renewable fuels has also helped improve air quality. Since ethanol contains oxygen, it contributes to the cleaner, more efficient combustion of gasoline, reducing carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 30 percent. Ethanol is also a key to increasing octane in gasoline blends, a critical element in achieving the new Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency standards of 54.5 miles per gallon in 2025.

"Illinois supports the continued use of biofuels as a direct benefit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this country," Illinois EPA Director Lisa Bonnett said. "Reducing the use of biofuels will result in added greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere and will contradict the climate change policies currently in place."

The Quinn Administration has taken the lead in the use of renewable fuels, converting much of the state's vehicle fleet to Flex Fuel Vehicles and providing incentives for retailers to dispense biofuels. The state also offers an Alternative Fuel Vehicle rebate program, providing rebates for nearly 12,500 vehicle purchases since the program began in 1999.

After Nagy twice gave the Mallards the lead in the first period it was Jeff Lee who put Quad City on top for good at 11:27 of the second period.  The Mallards were on the power play when Lee buried a rebound to snap a 2-2 deadlock.

With just 2:59 left in the third period, Justin Fox clinched the win by sweeping the fourth Mallard goal home between Rapid City goaltender Tim Boron's pads from the right wing circle.

Fox finally put the game beyond Rapid City's reach after the Rush had twice come from behind to even the score earlier in the evening.  Just 46 seconds after Nagy tipped in the opening goal at 4:29 of the first period Rapid City's Bob Preece tied the game from the left point.  Nagy put the Mallards back on top at 16:44 of the first with a blast from the top of the left wing circle.  Jared Brown would knot the game again at 3:37 of the second period when his drive from the top of the right circle was deflected past Heemskerk but the Rush would not beat the Mallard goaltender again.

The Mallards host the Rush again tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.  The first 1,000 fans through the doors for tomorrow evening's game will receive free Terry Ruskowski bobblehead dolls courtesy of KWQC TV6.

Tickets for tomorrow night's game and all Mallards regular season home games can be purchased at the iWireless Center ticket office, Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

About the Quad City Mallards
A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are in the midst of their seventeenth season their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  One of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007 and in the International Hockey League in 2009-10.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  The iWireless Center provides a unique environment for hockey and features one-of-a-kind seating areas such as the Nest for groups and functions and the exclusive Drake Club.  For more information on the Quad City Mallards or for Mallards tickets go to www.myqcmallards.com.  Fans can also follow the Mallards via Twitter at twitter.com/myqcmallards and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quadcitymallards.

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