upbeat

I started and finished a new book called upbeat a book I really can’t believe that I paid $11 for. I am confident that I wrote papers in graduate school longer than this book, and I’d file much of it under the category of self help for tough times. The book's main idea is how to survive during these tough recessionary times. Despite my annoyance of it being shorter than a Berenstein Bears' book, here's my first takeaway:

You may not realize it but you may already be an “extra baggage” for someone out there. This happens often when you think that just because you know someone, you are entitled to make request of that person . . . a creative request is one when fulfilling it is beneficial to the person who is being asked for it. A very good request is one you can design in such a way that the recipient of that request is thankful to you for making that request. In fact, he or she won’t even feel that it was a request; they would think that it was an opportunity and they would be glad that you chose them to open up that opportunity for them (44-45).

Isn't that the challenge for those of us who invite others to volunteer in some way? How do I invite this person to do something that I need them to do without using guilt, manipulation, bait and switch, or some other negative ploy? How can I improve making the creative requests that Setty describes? How can I make the very good requests and I partner with people who want to do something (serve someone, be something, etc) where they feel honored to be participating instead of forcing them into what I need?