The Art of Asking


Book Description

Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. When she became a singer, songwriter, and musician, she was not afraid to ask her audience to support her as she surfed the crowd (and slept on their couches while touring). And when she left her record label to strike out on her own, she asked her fans to support her in making an album, leading to the world's most successful music Kickstarter. Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her, and discovers the emotional, philosophical, and practical aspects of The Art of Asking. Part manifesto, part revelation, this is the story of an artist struggling with the new rules of exchange in the twenty-first century, both on and off the Internet. The Art of Asking will inspire readers to rethink their own ideas about asking, giving, art, and love.




The Artful Ask


Book Description

A resource for arts and cultural organizations to get better sponsorships from corporate partners. This book details how to strengthen sustainability and thrive through deeper sponsor relationships. The Artful Ask contains important research, interviews with corporate executives and offers real world examples of successful arts partnerships from around the nation. Corporate giving is not the same today as it was just five years ago. This easy-to-read handbook takes a frank look at today's business environment, social responsibility and cause marketing, offering concrete methods on how the arts can leverage them to their benefit.




The Art of the Ask


Book Description

I wrote this book to help nonprofit staff and experienced fundraising professionals excel in today's tough fundraising environment. The nonprofit sector continues to be ravaged by changes-everything from scandals to the realignment of borders of national organizations. No matter what level you are in the organization, the information in this book will help you understand that Attitude + Passion = Results (A+P=R), and determine if you have the right attitude to be working in the nonprofit sector. The Art of the Ask is actually quite simple: - You make your ask. - You make your case. - You show the benefits. - Then you stop talking. The teachings and stories in this book can be read from different perspectives: current executive directors, aspiring executive directors, development officers, board members, and community stakeholders. Whether the organization you work for is large or small, this book gives you the tools to determine if you are in the right place in your career. "Large" is the equivalent of state and national NPOs. "Small" is the equivalent of an organization that does not carry a charter from big brother. In the end, all NPOs need to have a local presence with grassroots efforts. Donors need to know, like, and respect you. Unfortunately, organizations are looking at the economies of scale and closing local offices. This, in my opinion, negatively affects the organization's fundraising efforts. Philanthropy giving is not disappearing. Giving simply looks different these days and we need to be open to the ways of work. With change come new opportunities. The big change we're realizing is that the world is much more flat and connected than we ever thought possible. This means you have greater opportunities to increase your fundraising efforts. Are you in the right position? You may have a passion for your organization's mission and cause, but do you have what it takes to "ask" for the dollars? My coach has taught me that 85 percent of success is having the confidence from looking within. it's time for you to take that look within for yourself.




Making the Ask


Book Description

If you’re a fundraiser or social entrepreneur keen to secure large gift for any kind of social cause you need to be able to ask the right people for the right money in the right way. But how do you do that? In this ground-breaking book, global experts Bernard Ross and Clare Segal share their approach - used by major fundraising organisations from UNHCR in the Middle East to MSF in the US and from UK’s Oxford University to MEF Museum in Argentina – which has been used to secure gifts up to $110m in a single ask. Whether you’re an experienced fundraiser looking for new ideas, a newbie keen to get to the right approach fast, or a board member anxious to help out, you’ll find the answers you’re looking for inside. The book also has a special social bonus - every copy you buy will result in a donation to the WHO foundation to pay for a Covid 19 vaccine in a developing nation. “One reasonably useful book = one life-saving vaccine.”




The Art of Asking


Book Description

Ask the Right Questions in the Right Ways...And Get the Answers You Need to Succeed! Discover the core questions that every manager needs to master...how to avoid the mistakes business questioners make most often...ten simple rules for asking every question more effectively. Learn how to ask tough questions and take control of tough situations...use questions to promote innovation, drive change, identify hidden problems, and get failing projects back on track. Ask better questions, get better answers, achieve better results! “Required reading for every leader who wishes to see his or herorganization flourish and career progress.” Garry A. Neil, MD, Corporate Vice President, Johnson & Johnson “Asking, listening, understanding the real meaning of the answers, and taking actions based on facts are really the essence of managing. This book has helped me in connecting the dots in my understanding (and lack thereof) of why things really did not work the way I expected them to.” Pradip Banerjee, PhD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Xybion; retired partner, Accenture “The framework and techniques provide outstanding ideas for executives to both gain better information and develop the analytical skills of their teams.” Terry Hisey, Vice Chairman and US Life Sciences Leader, Deloitte We’ve all met the corporate inquisitor: the individual whose questions seem primarily intended to terrify the victim. The right goal is to solve the problem--and to build a more effective, collaborative organization where everyone learns from experience, and nobody’s too intimidated to tell the truth. That means asking the right questions in the right ways. This book will teach you how to do precisely that. Terry J. Fadem shows how to choose the right questions and avoid questions that guarantee obvious, useless answers...how to help people give you the information you need...how to use body language to ask questions more effectively...how to ask the innovative or neglected questions that uncover real issues and solutions. You’ll learn how to adopt the attributes of a good questioner...set a goal for every question...use your personal style more effectively...ask tough questions, elicit dissent, react to surprises, overcome evasions, and more. Becoming a better questioner may be the most powerful thing you can do right now to improve your managerial effectiveness--and this book gives you all the insights, tools, and techniques you’ll need to get there. Evaluate your current “questioning” skills... ...then systematically improve them Choose better questions... ...and ask them the right way Ask tough questions more effectively Get at the truth, uncover the real problem, and solve it Master the crucial nonverbal aspects of asking questions Finding your best style and the right body language




The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships


Book Description

Named a Best Business Book of 2021 by Soundview Magazine Reclaim the power of genuine human connection Networking is often considered a necessary evil for all working professionals. With social media platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at our disposal, reaching potential investors or employers is much easier. Yet, these connections often feel transactional, agenda-driven, and dehumanizing, leaving professionals feeling burnt out and stressed out. Instead, we should connect on a human level and build authentic relationships beyond securing a new job or a new investor for your next big idea. To build real and meaningful networking contacts, we need to go back to basics, remembering that technology is a tool and more than just a means to an end. We need to tap into our humanity and learn to be more intentional and authentic. As a “serial connector” and communications expert, Susan McPherson has a lifetime of experience building genuine connections in and out of work. Her methodology is broken down into three simple steps: Gather: Instead of waiting for the perfect networking opportunity to come to you, think outside the box and create your own opportunity. Host your own dinner party, join a local meet-up group, or volunteer at your neighborhood food pantry. Ask: Instead of leading with our own rehearsed elevator pitches asking for help, ask to help, opening the door to share resources, experience, contacts, and perspectives that add diversity to your own vision. Do: Turn new connections into meaningful relationships by taking these newly formed relationships deeper. Follow through on the promises you made and keep in touch. Woven together with helpful tips and useful advice on making the most out of every step, this book draws on McPherson’s own experience as a renowned “serial connector,” as well as the real life success stories of friends and clients. Filled with humor, humility, and wisdom, The Lost Art of Connecting is the handbook we all need to foster personal and professional relationships that blur the lines between work and play—and enrich our lives in every way.




The Art of Mystery


Book Description

A sensitive and nuanced exploration of a seldom-discussed subject by an acclaimed novelist The fourteenth volume in the Art of series conjures an ethereal subject: the idea of mystery in fiction. Mystery is not often discussed—apart from the genre—because, as Maud Casey says, “It’s not easy to talk about something that is a whispered invitation, a siren song, a flickering light in the distance.” Casey, the author of several critically acclaimed novels, reaches beyond the usual tool kit of fictional elements to ask the question: Where does mystery reside in a work of fiction? She takes us into the Land of Un—a space of uncertainty and unknowing—to find out and looks at the variety of ways mystery is created through character, image, structure, and haunted texts, including the novels of Shirley Jackson, Paul Yoon, J. M. Coetzee, and more. Casey’s wide-ranging discussion encompasses spirit photography, the radical nature of empathy, and contradictory characters, as she searches for questions rather than answers. The Art of Mystery is a striking and vibrant addition to the much-loved Art of series.







The Art of Thinking Critically


Book Description

Identify false information. Avoid getting tricked. Be quick-witted and insightful. Would you like to ask the right questions, come up with strong arguments, detect biases and irrational or illogical reasoning? But you don't know where to start learning these? The Art of Thinking Critically will help you with that! Using the brightest ideas and best practices of some of the greatest thinkers, you can become a self-thought critical thinker who doesn't accept things at face value. With the help of guided exercises, you will learn how to do your own research, think about information for yourself, and draw conclusions that stand true to you. Avoid being manipulated. Being surrounded by inaccurate and often misleading information can feel overwhelming. Become more astute and catch inconsistencies in others' reasoning, don't be misled. Learn to question, fact-check, and correct people without sounding offensive. - How to self-educate to think more critically. - Equip yourself with good questions and ideas on how to think for yourself. - Break out of herd mentality. - Get a structure on how to implement critical thinking practices in your life. Human beings are generally curious and wish to understand the world better. But many of us didn't have the luck to learn effective questioning techniques as children. We were not encouraged to form opinions and were rather scolded for being too curious. So we didn't learn how to properly question and assess the information we hear, read, and how to think for ourselves. But we can absolutely change that! And educate our children to be better equipped with critical thinking skills. Make better decisions. Don't be gullible.




Ask a Forensic Artist


Book Description

Ask a Forensic Artist has the answers, and tells you everything you need to know about one of the most fascinating, rewarding, and misunderstood jobs in law enforcement. Written by a working forensic artist, this book is designed to give you a solid understanding of the modern forensic facial imaging techniques used in law enforcement today, and the tools and guidance to pursue a career of your own.