Let's say you're working with a donor whose husband recently passed away from a brain tumor. The donor may believe that medical center where her husband was treated receives sufficient funding for research from government sources. As a fundraiser, you know better, and you ask the donor if she is willing to explore other perspectives. She's open (after all, the two of you have a good relationship), and you proceed to share that a youthful member medical team is exploring the use of viruses to reverse the growth of brain tumor cells. The research is in it's early stages and the scientist could use $100k to gather enough preliminary data to write a grant proposal for significant funds that could advance the work into animal and human testing. She's intrigued. She knows the team, she trusts you, and she asks to meet the researcher to discuss what is needed. Wham! Perspective shifted.
Yes, sometimes it is that easy to move folks from "stuck" to "action".
In coaching we use this technique to help clients explore various perspectives around a topic in their personal or professional lives in order to make powerful commitments about what they really want to say YES to, and what they absolutely need to say NO to (see: The One Skill Every Fundraiser Must Cultivate). And, this work can have powerful as well as long-lasting effects. Nearly two and a half years ago after being on the receiving end of some good coaching, I made a commitment to loosening up (a state of being) and dressing more casually (an action that reflects the state of being). I can share that to this day, I am much more peaceful (loose), and my dress code reflects the sub-tropical climate in which I now currently reside (flip-flops, and all).
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