Would You Please Give Me Your Thoughts on This Puzzle?

I’ve been wrestling with something, so I’m reaching out to my community in the hope that you’ll be able to point me in the right direction.

How do I grow and focus on results — and at the same time hold onto the core of who I am and what I value? (You may have that question about your work, too.)

Here’s what’s going on for me and the favor I ask of you …

People have been urging me to offer a workshop on raising money. That’s where I started my career, of course, and I do have a few things to say about it. (smile)

But for 10+ years now, my workshops have had a different focus. They’ve been about holding high ideals … standing in hope … dreaming big dreams and bringing them to life. (And they’ve been more for the money-givers than for the money-raisers.)

Of course, raising money is important to bringing dreams alive. You know that.

It’s the pivot point for everyone connected with every cause: feeling you can or can’t raise large money makes everything else possible – or not.

And raising money in an authentic way — filled with meaning and respect and high ideals — is something that’s not widely taught. So I am going to offer this workshop in early 2011.

But I sense I’m really going out on a limb.

You see, when I apply the workshop to the raising of money, it’s possible that I’ll lose the heart of the experience. People could be attracted who just want to “get the money, forget the meaning.” There are those who would see it as an extraction tool, a gimmick — a way to manipulate people.

You can imagine how deeply dismayed I am at that thought.

I want to make sure the authentic heart of this work stays strong, even as I take on this more “results-oriented” workshop. Just as you are results-oriented and want to keep your high level ideals alive.

(Of course, you and I know that it’s because of the high ideals that we see greater results, but that’s less obvious to most.)

So here’s my request of you: Would you please take a few minutes to read how I’ve described this workshop — and then reply to me with your thoughts?

Have I struck the right note and conveyed the high ideals we hold?

What else might I say to draw my “right people” toward this — and nudge the gimmick-seekers in another direction?

Or just tell me I’m “write on.” (Couldn’t resist, could I?)

I’d really appreciate your thoughts on this. The workshop description is here.

Best,
Jim

P.S. There’s something else that’s been on my mind — about the emails I send out. Until a few years ago, I engaged in lengthy, personal email conversations with a very small circle of folks. Other than that, I was pretty much invisible to the world.

That was intentional — I’d cut way back on my professional engagements in order to pursue my learning journey and R&D projects (such as developing the Quest workshop).

Since then, my circle has grown so much that I’ve had to resort to “bulk” emails to keep in touch. It feels impersonal — but it’s hard for me to see how else to stay connected with this growing circle of friends and colleagues. If I tried to write everyone personal emails … well, I’d be doing nothing else and would be unable to serve anyone.

I do want you to know that I read every reply and respond to as many as I possibly can. And I am deeply grateful for your attention.