The 2013 Office Pool

The 2013 Office Pool:by Tom Disantis
In honor of the late, great William Safire, here is the first edition of my Office Pool for predictions for the upcoming New Year (although there are some for late December 2012). For each item, choose one, all, or none.
My picks are below, and as Mr. Safire was fond of saying, “Only those daring to play now can claim hooting rights later.”
Good luck!
1. On December 21, 2012:
(a)   It’s the end of the world!
(b)   Winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere
(c)   We enter the next b’ak’tun on the Mayan calendar, and we look for the next date for the world to end
2. To avoid the U.S. “Fiscal Cliff,” before January 1, 2013, the President and Congress will agree to:
(a)   A complete overhaul of the American fiscal system, including significant overhaul of entitlements and the tax code
(b)   An agreement that kicks the can down the road into the middle of 2013, further straining the relationship between the Executive and Congress
(c)   Nothing – we go over the fiscal cliff
3. In 2013 itself, the result of the fiscal negotiations between Congress and the President will be:
(a)   A complete overhaul of the American fiscal system, including significant overhaul of entitlements and the tax code
(b)   A patch work of compromises that makes no side happy and doesn’t solve the root fiscal issues
(c)   Nothing – Washington waits until the 2014 mid-term elections before making any moves
4. Next year, the biggest challenge(s) sales leaders will face leading their function will be:
(a)   Continued engagement and retention of high performing sales reps as the labor market heats up
(b)   Investing in new skills and organizational capabilities to enable sales reps and account managers to sell in a more complex buying environment
(c)   Getting the most return from investments in technology and processes
(d)   Enabling sales managers to more effectively guide and coach their teams
5. The major customer dynamic(s) facing sales leaders in the new year will be:
(a)   A continued cost pressure from customers as corporate spending still experiences slow growth
(b)   Increased willingness for customers to invest and recapitalize leads to higher spending and bigger deals
(c)   Customers increasing staffing and spending in procurement/sourcing functions
(d)   Radical focus on cost savings brought on by a global recession
6. By December 2013, the growth rate of the U.S. economy will be:
(a)   Negative – a double dip
(b)   Between 0% and 2% – anemic growth
(c)   Between 2% and 3% – slow recovery
(d)   Above 3% – healthy recovery
7. By December 2013, the growth rate of the Chinese economy will be:
(a)   Below 8%
(b)   Between 8-10%
(c)   Above 10%
8. On December 31, 2013, the U.S. S&P 500 Index will stand at:
(a)   Below 1200
(b)   Between 1300 and 1400
(c)   Between 1400 and 1500
(d)   Above 1500
9. In 2013, the use of Social Media in sales will:
(a)   Be a flash in the pan
(b)   Continue as it has been, with use by primarily individuals as well as a smattering of organizations investing in the channel
(c)   A widespread area of increased investments to enable customer engagement much earlier in their buying process
(d)   Social media is used in sales?
10. By the end of 2013, US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will be:
(a)   Credited for helping the US Economy avoid a double dip – new term assured in 2014
(b)   Updating his resume as pressure grows for President Obama to curtail the independence of the Fed
(c)   Run out of town as quantitative easing turns into rampant inflation in the US economy
11. In 2013, the most important sports story(ies) will be:
(a)   Rory McIlroy wins two or more of golf’s major tournaments
(b)   The NHL cancels the 2014 season as players and owners refuse to compromise, threatening the future of the league
(c)   Shanghai Bobby wins horse racing’s first triple crown since 1978
(d)   The world prepares for World Cup 2014
(e)   Notre Dame wins college football’s national championship for the first time since 1988
12. 2013 Academy Award winners will include:
(a)   Steven Spielberg, Best Director, for “Lincoln”
(b)   Argo, for Best Picture
(c)   Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Actor, Lincoln
(d)   Amy Adams, Best Actress, Trouble with the Curve
(e)   Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Best Supporting Actor, The Master
(f)    Anne Hathaway, Best Supporting Actress, Les Miserables
1. (b) & (c), 2. (b – assuming cooler heads prevail), 3. (b), 4. (all), 5. (a) & (c), 6. (b – big variable is the housing market), 7. (b), 8. (c), 9. (b – but should be c), 10. (b), 11. (all) 12. (none)