The world is full of nay-sayers.
People who shoot down your ideas without a second glance.
Their arsenal of reasons justifying why something can’t be done – especially by you – seems unending. Some of the simplest and most common are:
- It’s too hard (for you)
- There’s not enough time
- It’s too expensive
- It hasn’t been done before
- You/they/someone tried it once and it didn’t work
- It’s too risky
And don’t forget the favorite unspoken reason why they don’t want to try something: - It wasn’t THEIR idea (unspoken)
Many things seem impossible at first. But I like to go back to the terrific Chinese proverb that says, “The person who says it can’t be done should not interrupt the person doing it.”
And that’s exactly what Marian Baldini, CEO and president of Kencrest human services provider, demonstrated this week on the Speaking to Influence podcast.
After massive government budget cuts, a previous nonprofit where she worked lost the majority of its funding and was at risk of shutting down.
But rather than throwing her hands in the air in defeat, Marian did what nobody thought was possible and pulled off a 90-day miracle.
In just three months, she pulled together her core team and:
- Spun off an entirely new non-profit that would allow them to serve the mission and the clients of the original organization
- Enrolled over 1,000 clients through door-to-door visits
- Hired 1300 employees
- Hired a board of directors
- Obtained a loan of $5,000,000
And all in Q4 – October through December – when competition is fierce for charitable donations, and most employees want lots of personal time off!
Marian also talked about how she learned to “enroll people to their giftedness,” by understanding their strengths and interests and finding the right role for each person.
She also challenged us to recognize when we need to take a pause and “go to the balcony” for a moment in challenging conversations.
But the “balcony” isn’t just an escape for quiet reflection. It’s about a change in perspective.
At the theater, an actor on stage only sees things from one perspective: that of their character.
But a patron sitting up in the balcony, looking down on the whole scene and all the players on the stage has a much more objective view of everyone’s motivations and comprehensive understanding of the whole situation.
So ask yourself: When and how can you take a moment to go to the balcony?
Listen to the full conversation here or watch the video on YouTube here.
Speaking of conversations around things you (or others) thought couldn’t be done, did you ever want to speak on a podcast or maybe a conference panel, but fear that you wouldn’t know how to get on it in the first place, or wouldn’t be any good even if you did?
Most people have so many questions about how to do it, and do it well, that I’ve decided to host a super-simple live Q&A group calls about exactly that: How to get on (more) conference stages and be GREAT at it.
There’s NO formal presentation. If you’re even just a little curious or want answers to your burning questions about how to make it happen, join me for one or more of the following open Q&A group calls:
- Friday 4/19 at 12:00 ET (register here)
- Tuesday 4/23 at 3pm ET (register here)
- Wednesday 4/24 at 1pm ET (register here)
- Friday 4/26 at 12:00pm ET (register here)
There’s just one catch: There will be NO REPLAYS provided. I’m opening the Zoom rooms for people who want to ask questions, get inspiration, or just listen to other people’s questions and ideas about how to get more speaking and sharing opportunities.
So sign up for as many as you think you can join in hopes that your schedule allows you to attend at least one!
Whatever you do, please do NOT be the person who tells yourself “it’s not possible”!
(Trust me, it absolutely IS possible… and FUN!)
And to anyone else who says you can’t do it, tell them:
“Watch me!”
Don’t forget to rate Speaking to Influence podcast on https://ratethispodcast.com/influence
