It's fascinating how some people have no problems asking for what they want, while it doesn't occur to others to even ask. I watch the phenomenon show up in my classes all the time. People pay good money to get coached in a group program, where I promise that everyone will get coached, and then they apologize when they ask more than one question in a row.
You might think it's obvious to ask for what you need, but do you always ask for what you really want? And are you asking the people who can really deliver more than you requested?
You could get a little more outrageous couldn't you?
After I had my first son I noticed how much I sucked at asking for help. If someone offered his/her assistance, I'd often say, "No, it's alright, I can do it." I didn't want to put anybody out if I could very well do it myself.
My second baby arrived and I changed out of necessity. If a friend asked to have lunch, I requested they drive to my town and it had to be on a Monday or a Friday. My gremlins gave me a little grief over being so "selfish" but I knew that it was only to stay in balance with my work and family schedule.
In business it's even more critical that we make what may seem like "outrageous" requests. If at first they don't put you on your edge, you're probably not asking for enough.
I was recently at a retreat with forty colleagues, most of them much more genius at business marketing than I.
They provided the perfect environment for me to ask for something I really wanted — to grow my membership program. I got my big girl attitude on and powerfully asked:
"I have a membership program that business owners love. I want to grow it to 1000 members. Give me your most outrageous ideas to make it happen. I want out of the box stuff. I don't care if you have a membership program. I don't care if you give me a strategy that seems like it came from a science fiction movie. Give me whatever pops in your head, even if you think it's lame and I must've already thought of it."
I ended up with a dozen strategies and ideas that got me to, as the Apple ads used to say, think different. They were fresh, inspiring and usable.
Last year I asked these same people to help me with the same program. They gave me a few ideas, but none as powerful as this year. The request the prior year was, "I'm starting a new program and want to know how to grow it."
Not as juicy, right? And my thoughts while asking were, "I don't know how to do this and I hope you think it's possible and cool."
How you feel before making an outrageous request will make or break your results.
When you find an area of your business that you want to get outrageously good results, use this recipe:
• Decide what exactly would be your outrageous outcome.
• Clarify what you need to set you up to win.
• Step into your badass, confident, business CEO mindset.
• Tap into your Inner Business Expert to get guidance on who could assist you in fully manifesting this mission.
• Formulate your crazy (awesome!) request.
• Double check to ensure that you're still in your badass, confident, business CEO mindset.
• Make your request.
• Be open to receive.
• Pat yourself on the back for making the request, no matter the outcome.
Repeat often and make it a game. Let me know what happens.
Jeanna Gabellini is a Master Business Coach who assists high achieving entrepreneurs, corporate leaders & their teams to leverage fun, systems and intentionality for high-octane results. An entrepreneur for 25 years she has a treasure trove of kick-butt tools to give you peace & profits. Get your complimentary audio “Transforming from Chaotic Entrepreneur to Conscious Leader” here:
Biz Building CD.