Giving and receiving

Douglas D. Germann, Sr. 76066.515 at compuserve.com
Sun Dec 1 17:02:25 PST 2002


Joelle, Julie, and everyone--

You have raised some good questions for me to ponder, Joelle. Thank you.

Specifically, I have a series of 3 OSTs of 3 hours each which I am putting
together with a local senior independent living apartment complex. The OST
is about healthcare for seniors. (I have posted here about this group
before.)

When we first met, they were very enthusiastic about the project. We have
met 4 or 5 times for over 2 hours each time, planning this event.

Originally, they asked me for a fee. I quoted X. They came back at the next
meeting and said they had only 0.4 X. I said OK, we could work with that,
and then I showed them how they could raise the additional amount by
seeking co-sponsors. They have approached a half dozen potential sponsors,
and I have helped them with by approaching other potential sponsors.

Last time we met, they said they are incurring expenses and staff time they
had not foreseen, and so they are not willing to pay any fee; Instead I
should be compensated by the contributions of the co-sponsors only. They
would of course "help" me contact those people.

Now I agree with you and Julie and am willing to do the work for no fee
because it is important work. And I agree with the client that we will
likely get sponsors at some level.

Yet am I right in reading into their statements that they have surfaced
some fear?

(I also do not want to end up being the prime mover behind these OSTs.)

How would you handle this situation?

(My initial thought is not to argue with them, but to ask them questions to
draw out what are their fears. Obviously they will argue that their budget
is going away with staff time, mailing costs, etc. But I want to get them
to first tell me why this project is important to them, then go deeper into
their fears than "budgets." But still the question is, how would you advise
handling this?)

I meet with them Tuesday morning....

                              :-Doug.

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