1. Asking for Opportunity: an executive job candidate makes an unusual request
2. Asking for Input: a marketing professional’s ask stuns the room
3. Asking for Appointments: a counselor asks for the seemingly impossible
4. Asking for More: a young couple asks for everything …

Asking for Opportunity

After 15 years with Motorola, I began looking for opportunities to work at a small or mid-size company and came across a firm that was looking for a vice president of marketing, which was very much aligned with my background. The company provided the data and analytics for major professional sporting events, which had always been an interest of mine.

After several rounds of interviews, the company narrowed the search down to me and one other person.

Naturally I was disappointed when the Chief Executive Officer, who had been part of the interview process, informed me they had chosen the other candidate. I asked him what had led to that decision.

“Given your background,” he said, “we felt you could do a lot more than marketing for the company and would probably get bored.”

“I don’t disagree,” I replied. “But if at any point you are no longer interested in running this company, let me know because the job I’m really interested in is YOURS and I would like to be first in line should you wish to make that kind of a change.” I had basically just asked for his job because I knew I could make a strong impact in that position.

About six weeks later he called and said, “You planted a very interesting seed. Why don’t you come back and we can talk about this?” In the meeting that followed, he shared with me that he wanted to pursue his real passion, writing software, rather than running an entire company of more than 300 people. As it turned out, my ask had been the catalyst that put both of us closer to where we wanted to be. I served as Chief Executive Officer for three years.

A lot of people struggle with an unwillingness to ask for what they really want, but I’ve always been a big believer in the “what the hell have you got to lose” approach to job search. If you don’t ask, you’re going to be left behind.

– Marty Gilbert, Founder and CEO, NorthShore Executive Networking Group

Asking for Input

My client, “Ted,” had a marketing concept he wanted to pitch to his company, a multinational educational publisher. I thought his concept was completely wrong for his company and tried to talk him out of it, but he held his ground. So, at his request I turned his off-target idea into a 40-page proposal complete with a shiny plastic cover with their logo on top.

All the top brass were at the pitch meeting, the CEO, CFO, president and everyone on down. As Ted presented the proposal, I could tell from the sighing, squinting, and squirming that this audience wasn’t buying it. Ted was going down in flames.

About 15 minutes into this doomed presentation, it just became too painful to watch. Ted’s company was not getting what they wanted. Not even close. I stood up, picked up the 40-page proposal … and tore it in half. Silence. Ten stunned faces looked up at me. I took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter what we created for you in this proposal,” I said. “What do YOU want to do?”

Everybody visibly relaxed. And for the next couple hours the entire group brainstormed until we came up with a concept they loved and that met their business objectives. We got the job, and it was a big success, though Ted never forgave me for my unplanned ask. 

In business you must always do what’s right for the client, even if that means getting out of the way of your own ideas. And the fastest way to do that is by asking and listening.

Brian Vandenbroucke, Founder, Articulate Creative Communications

Asking for Appointments

I had recently completed my BA in Psychology/Addictions and saw a notice that a new counseling center was opening up. Around that time, I had developed a Stress Management program that had prompted many participants to ask me if I did private counseling. I realized that the counseling center could give me a base to see clients. Yet even my close friends said, “Patty, you don’t have a license, don’t set yourself up for disappointment.” But I was determined to ask.

I walked in the center one day and ended up meeting with the supervising psychiatrist. I showed her my resume and said this is who I am, this is what I want to learn, and this is what I have to offer—still not knowing how I could practice there, or anywhere, without a license. She told me she could see that I was teachable, and then gave me some life-changing news: Indiana law, at the time, permitted counselors with bachelor’s degrees, like me, to have a private counseling practice provided they were under the supervision of a psychiatrist, like her.

Had I not asked for the appointment, I would not have known about the law. I would not have wound up having my own office at the center for my private practice, nor the psychiatrist as a mentor, nor the support I enjoyed from the center’s many therapists and psychologists with whom I worked during those five years.

– Patty Peters, Addiction Counselor & Intervention Specialist

Asking for More

Several years ago my wife, Krystle, and I wanted to move to a larger apartment in the same building, but the one we wanted needed some major improvements. Our landlord is set in her ways and needs a lot of convincing before she moves on any requests, let alone big changes to the property. We assumed she’d prefer to find a tenant to rent the unit as-is, without any investment on her part.

Despite our hesitations, I gave her a call.

I explained our interest in the larger apartment and then asked her for a “few favors” including: installing new carpeting in the bedroom and living room, replacing the entire flooring in the sunroom, upgrading the kitchen and bathroom sinks and a portion of the counter, and permitting us to repaint the sunroom and kitchen. Almost an entire renovation!

To my surprise, she wound up agreeing to each one of our requests, proof that she was far more open-minded than I had imagined her to be. Our end of the bargain was to pay for the paint, one-quarter of the carpeting costs, and fifty bucks more in rent. And, though we had already requested so much of her there was one final ask: would she reconsider her “No Dogs” rule?

We’re now living happily, with Baker the Chihuahua, in our larger, much-improved apartment!

– Manny Viega, podcaster, All Day Paranormal