I was contacted about an opportunity that looked great. It was a speaking engagement at a business conference. The industry was new to me, but was going through massive change, which I knew well.
The session title and synopsis referred to “change management” and the challenges it would discuss appeared to be ones I had experience in.
Over the weekend, I took a closer look at the session description and the conference agenda. Although “change” was referenced, objectives had little to do with the topic. The session was really about managing difficult relationships where few connections or little trust exists. It was a relationship management session.
My a-ha moment quickly turned into a feeling of dread. My enthusiasm for an opportunity was leading me down a path I did not know. I had three options:
a) Do the presentation anyway
b) Negotiate a new topic that I was qualified to speak about
c) Decline the opportunity
a) Doing the presentation anyway appealed to my “can do” attitude. With time, research and determination I could figure it out. The problem is that I would be compromising the value I provide, devote an inordinate amount of time researching a topic I wasn’t knowledgeable on and potentially damage my reputation.
b) Negotiating a new topic could work but it wouldn’t fit the themes of the conference so what would be the benefit? The poor fit of topic would compromise the value I could provide.
c) Declining the opportunity meant passing on an opportunity to share what I know with a group that might benefit from it. On the positive side, it would demonstrate honesty and integrity. This was the only credible option.
The next time an opportunity arises, I will ask better questions before I enthusiastically say “great”. The most important one will be, “Is this a good fit for my skills, experience and goals? I know what I will say if the answer is no.
Phil
What To Do When You Aren’t A Good Fit For An Opportunity
Answer All Questions Before Handing In
Completing questionnaires is not one of my strengths. I find it mind-numbing and challenging to remain focused as I work through the questions. Since this is one of my least favourite activities, I repeatedly count the number of questions remaining, like someone who watches coffee percolate, hoping that it will go faster by doing so.
I had mixed feelings when I saw an “author’s questionnaire” in my inbox. On the positive side, I was excited by seeing “author” and “Phil Buckley” in the same sentence. On the less positive side, I thought of having to work through the questions, repeatedly checking the number remaining. 
I had answered many of the questions in my book proposal, such as “Who are the audiences for my book?”, “What are the benefits and features?”, “Who are my competitors?”, and “In which countries is my book most relevant?”. Some, however, were new to me, including “What media contacts do I know personally?”, and “What organizations would want to buy my book in bulk?” 
These new questions are opportunities that I need to champion. Perhaps the answers will have the highest yield within my Change with Confidence marketing plan. As most questionnaire instructions state: Answer all questions before handing in.
Phil
