I followed my own advice toady. I took Regina Birdsell, President / CEO from the Center For Nonprofit Management in Los Angeles to lunch. This was the first time we had ever met. We decided on Traxx, a fun restaurant inside Union Station.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs I left this lunch feeling totally energized. Our one hour lunch turned into a 2 hour conversation. I bet you would like to be a fly on the wall...well here goes.
I came to lunch without an agenda. Well actually, I invited her to lunch because I was curious about her and the organization. Our conversation flowed very much like George and Oscar's in my learning novel, "Let's Have Lunch Together."
We quickly discovered we had lots of things in common. She had worked for ABC and I had worked for CBS. We also discovered we both knew some of the same people.
The most compelling part of our conversation was the notion that nonprofit leaders have a tendency to lock away their biggest asset - the one that motivates others to help them. We discussed that if nonprofit professionals show who they are as person first and connect, people will inevitably ask, how can I help you.? That's what she asked me at the end of our time together.
Once again - Connect First...
Be yourself not just the information messenger.
This is Marshall Howard reminding you . . . giving goes where the relationship flows.
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