Mainebiz

V O L . X X I V N O. I I JA N UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 1 8 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E Bill provides $60M in tax breaks for BIW over 20 years A bill that would create up to $60 million in tax incentives for Bath Iron Works over 20 years is linked to shipyard owner General Dynamics Corp. continuing to make "major investments in ship- building facilities" and maintain- ing a minimum employment level of 5,000 workers. LD 1781, "An Act To Encourage New Major Investments in Shipbuilding Facilities and the Preservation of Jobs," is sponsored by Rep. Jennifer DeChant, D-Bath, and was sent to the 128th Legislature's Taxation Committee for its review. A public hearing date on the bill has not been scheduled yet. If the bill is approved and signed into law, the tax incentives are intended to begin following the scheduled expira- tion of e Shipbuilding Facility Tax Credit that was approved by the Legislature in 1997 that enabled General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) to receive an annual tax credit of Q: I have to give a presentation to all our employees about strategy, vision and future plans. Any hints? ACE Advises: Don't just talk at or to them. Find or create ways to engage them in the presentation. Some hints: 1. Start with questions that invite participants to share some of their concerns, their hopes, their fears and their posi- tive visions. But make sure you maintain a safe space. Sharing may be more comfortable with one other person, or in a very small group. 2. Ask participants to bring, or submit anonymously in advance, very short (one- or two-paragraph) comments that illustrate hope or concern. Your reading some of these aloud, without the authors' names, may be really captivating. 3. Midway through the presentation, ask participants for any surprises they have had in their work with the organiza- tion this year. Comment briefly on each. 4. Don't just talk! Include a short video, perhaps some still photos, maybe a sound track without images. A good car- toon can provide a lively backdrop for some of your words. 5. Consider using props. For example, you might switch costumes as you speak — wear a white coat while dis- cussing product development, a hard hat when the topic is production, an oversize bow tie when discussing sales. 6. Be very careful not to say anything — especially when attempting humor — that could be offensive to anyone in your audience. 7. Balance your time presenting with participant sharing. Your voice is important, but spotlighting other views shows that you are listening carefully, and that you respect everyone who is present and wants to participate. A S K AC E A n s w e r e d b y A r t h u r F i n k , A r t h u r F i n k C o n s u l t i n g The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a non-profit association of independent consultants who value "Success through Collaboration." The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com. Arthur Fink, principal at Arthur Fink Consulting, can be contacted at Arthur@ArthurFink.com Every smile tells a story. And each one can say something powerful. As the nation's leading dental benefits provider, Delta Dental makes it easy to protect your smile and keep it healthy with the largest network of dentists nationwide, quick answers and personalized service. Learn more at NortheastDeltaDental.com. I GUESS THEY LIKE ME YOU LOOK AWFULLY FAMILIAR I CAN'T REPEAT IT BUT IT'S GOOD IT'S TOO GOOD TO PUT DOWN THIS IS FUN, I THINK Southern Maine's Lewiston campus as well as two baccalaureate degrees in applied science and liberal studies for community college graduates who have earned an associates degree. The board of directors of Lift360 in Portland announced that it will place its Leadership Intensive program with Maine Development Foundation in Augusta and its Emerging Leaders and Springboard programs with the Maine Association of Nonprofits in Portland in order to position the programs for continued growth. S O U T H E R N

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