“To get what you want, help enough other people get what they want first.”

He’s all about ATTITUDE. So are we.

You need to believe that to “get what you want” (Make more IMPACT, have more INCOME to Fund Your Vision, etc.) you have to “help enough other people get what they want”:

It’s sometimes hard to put yourself in the INVESTOR’S proverbial shoes, but I believe they want:

• An Opportunity to Make A Difference

• A Chance to Move from Success to Significance (in Drucker’s words)

• A Meaningful Way to HELP You Achieve Your Impact

To get what you WANT… help other people get what they WANT!

“SALES are contingent on the ATTITUDE of the salesman – not the ATTITUDE of the PROSPECT.”

Nobody has demonstrated this more in the last couple of weeks than ForImpact’s own Nick Fellers and Derek Grosso. They’re working on a project for Junior Achievement. (Almost) EVERY time they sit down for a visit, there are PROSPECT ‘ISSUES’:

They don’t know much about Junior Achievement.

They don’t understand why Junior Achievement needs money.

They question if this is the ‘right time’ (economy) to be out asking.

They fold their arms. They start off being totally unengaged. They pre-empt with a token gift or a blanket statement that they’re not giving to anyone right now.

IF Nick or Derek let the ATTITUDE of the PROSPECT dictate the flow and the outcome of the visit… they would end up with zero, nada, zilch.

But, because they let THEIR ATTITUDE (Belief in the Cause… Clear Understanding of the Purpose and Priorities… A Masterful Presentation of the Plan.) control the visit… AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING!

W. Clement Stone says it all. (YOUR) ATTITUDE is everything!!!

James Champy of RE-ENGINEERING fame had a great line about the real leadership companies:

“A BUDGET IS NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR INACTION.”

He talks about how ENTREPRENEURIAL organizations never use their budget as an excuse; while larger companies are always talking about “The money is not in this year’s budget.”

Champy’s new book Outsmart!: How to Do What Your Competitors Can’t has six Guiding Principles. I thought you could put these to use right away.

Go far and deep with INSPIRATION! (This fits perfectly into our Altitude Framework that begins with VISION, IMPACT, INSPIRATION.)

1. Be completely OPEN and TRANSPARENT. (Champy is talking about organizations but this also is true for you and your visit. AUTHENTICITY!)

2. Embrace information TECHNOLOGY to enable change. (Find some New Millennial and have them help you utilize technology to scale and grow your IMPACT.)
3. ACT whenever OPPORTUNITY knocks. (For Social Entrepreneurs and For Impact Leaders? there is sooooooo much OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING!! You just need to ENGAGE!)
4. Accept VULNERABILITY as a way of life. (His point here is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You’re going to Fail. Failure is good.)

5. Accept RISK as a normal condition. (Every entrepreneur knows this.)

Try to find a copy of this article as well as some other great things at Leader to Leader.

I’m not a big ‘COMPETITION’ guy. I want all of you to succeed. Buy the book to get some more good ‘nuggets’ from a smart guy.

Brad Feld is a fun funder/tech entrepreneur/cool guy in Colorado to read @ feld.com. He directed me to 2-Speed (Will Herman) and this post: Remain Aggressive. You need to read this post – it’s strong enough to balance out a lot of the other ‘negativity’ out there around ‘this economy’.

Some bullet points:

• Play offense, not defense. Not a time to batten down the hatches – successful companies move fast and innovate (especially in these times).

• “You can’t save yourself to success.”

• Make sure you respond instead of react, you never panic.

• “You have to assume that nothing is coming to you – people, business or new ideas – you have to aggressively go out and hunt down everything that will move your company forward.” — See Tom’s entire message about the economy – Now More than Ever we need to be out, making visits, on the offensive, building and maximizing relationships. See my post last week about HOW to respond.

• “think” (that’s all I need to excerpt of that line)

Read full blog post.

A FARM (farmer) ATTITUDE: Cultivate. Spread Manure. Hope.

You’re in sales. Get over it.

My friend Tim Kight calls this the ‘R FACTOR’.

Everything is about your RESPONSE to the event, the situation or the activity… not the event itself.

Tons of books on this. Thought it needed to get out in Kight’s wonderfully simple equation.

I was with Dick Celeste and Steve Elder at Colorado College last week. (It reminded me that they are still two of the ‘coolest’ dudes around.) Steve took me on a tour of the new Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center. It absolutely knocked my proverbial socks off! It’s a Predock designed building. It’s unique, crazy, innovative and much more. Students love it. It’s inner-disciplinary. It’s just a WOW!

I know that Dick basically “willed” this Center to happen. And I know that Steve never gave up on obtaining the lead gift and the remainder of the funding.

Force of will. Perseverance. Huge success.

The manifesto is five pages long and only takes a few worthwhile minutes to read.

Read the piece. My commentary (an attempt at adding value) is below.

• “People think that asking for money is all about asking for money.” Sasha says it’s not. The resources come second. This is reinforcement that IMPACT DRIVES INCOME, not the other way around.

• “People think that storytelling is a gift, not a skill.” I think the skill comes in understanding how to be authentic. You’ve seen a lot of “effective” story tellers and some of them stink at “telling stories” yet they are so darned passionate they’re still effective because people still see the story.

• “Money = Power”. Nothing to say – Sasha has an AWESOME perspective on this.

• “I’m terrified you’ll say ‘no.’” I agree with Sasha, get over it. Be more terrified someone will not be fed because you didn’t ask.

Sasha closes with a call for a new language/vocabulary around fundraising. “If nothing else, then, we need a new word. Fundraising is about a transaction – I raise funds from you, you get nothing in return.”

Agreed.

I’m currently a fan of “Advancing the Vision.” And, while it may sound academic in some circles, those that ‘Advance the Vision’ can be Directors of Advancement or something similar. That’s what you do.

Many people spend A LOT of time (years?) prepping for The Irrational Investor. That prospect keeps you in your office planning, prepping, scheming, waiting always until tomorrow.

• “What if they just aren’t into saving lives?” (are you kidding me?)

• “What if they want to see our financials from seven years ago?” (they’re making run a fool’s errand)
• “What if? What if? What if?”

Stop focusing on the irrational investor.

Like an exotic animal, the Irrational Investor DOES exist. However, you cannot and should not be focusing on 1 out of 40. You need to focus on the other 39 — RATIONALE investors – the prospects (individuals/corporations/foundations) that want to save lives, change lives and impact lives… the prospects that want to have real conversations… with YOU.

Think about it:

• You’ll never have enough info: Seriously, even if you came back with the 3rd quarter financials from seven years ago you would then be asked for something else crazy. You’ll never have enough for an irrational investor so don’t even try.
• Opportunity cost: Assuming you are doing something to change the world then how many families are missing out on your programs? Students missing out on an education? Or, advances toward a cure? Why does the irrational investor get to hold everything up?
• Laugh it off: On the VERY RARE occasion that you do come across an Irrational Investor just laugh it off. Make your presentation, get a good story from the visit and then keep follow-up really simple…
• “We become what we think about”: What a miserable life it is to think about The Irrational Investor. So don’t.

This concept is freeing for many training camp attendees. If the Irrational Investor is holding you up, let me offer an assurance (again): just about everyone you meet with be and act like a real person. They don’t bite. They want to have an impact. They’ll love the logic of your presentation and help if they’re qualified (… if you ask).

• ALWAYS ASSUME THE BEST …
  • Timing is perfect.
  • They just inherited a large fortune.
  • Their business is booming.

  *They love your CAUSE and CASE!!!

• DON’T MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOUR PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR … especially before you even get there!!!
  • “They’re burnt out.”
  • “They’ve got 3 kids in college.”
  • “They’re still paying on a pledge.”
  • “I’m not sure they can do $10,000 or $100,000, etc.”

  *It’s not important whether YOU are sure. It’s not your money. Give them a chance to say ‘YES’!

• Get (a few of) them to fall off their chair … in shock at the magnitude of YOUR PRESENTATION.If you have not caused someone lately to be SHOCKED at the SIZE of your OPPORTUNITY … you’re not THINKING BIG ENOUGH.