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We've all had those moments - you need something done, you need a ride from a coworker or you need some help knocking on that last set of doors. Have you ever felt awkward asking a volunteer to stay an extra hour? Or asked a project partner a personal question, immediately wondering, "Wait - why did I just ask that?"
Don't worry, we've all been there. Organizers on all different levels will confront some sort of uncertainty and good organizers learn how to push through that awkward feeling. Here are some things you can do when you know you have an uncomfortable conversation coming up:
- Remind yourself of why you're having the conversation. Could you explain, in clear terms, why you're having this discussion and what your intentions are?
- Figure out how this moves your project forward. If it doesn't advance your cause, it's probably not worth it, huh?
- Ask yourself: what if? What if you don't speak up? What happens? You never want to look back on a project or a campaign and wish you had done more or asked that tough question.
Get the awkward questions out of the way, and you'll be on your way to success.
How do you ask uncomfortable questions? Let us know in the comments on the blog.
Kwesi is Campaigns Program Director at NOI.
Photo by Chicago Art Department, via Flickr.
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