September 28, 2021
Asking for what you need can be tough. Asking for what you deserve? Even harder. In business, getting the money and resources you need to be successful isn’t a solo operation. It means putting yourself out there, and not being afraid of the word ‘no.’ If you want to set yourself up to succeed, you need to get good at asking.
Dia Bondi has spent her career helping executives become strategic in their communications and then clearly communicate it. Her goal? Impact. It’s this passion that led her to auctioneer school in Missouri. This effervescent Bay-area executive sitting shoulder-to-shoulder next to dinner-plate-size-belt-buckle-wearing schoolmates. All of whom were men. Since then, she’s connected the dots between her passion for auctioneering and her keen eye for business, helping people become pros at asking for what they want. Today, she coaches leaders, entrepreneurs, technologists, and social impact innovators to speak from their hearts so that they can move towards their goals.
The result? People learn how to use curiosity to become courageous, take control of difficult situations, and have a big effect on others by doing the things they love.
Top three takeaways from my conversation with Dia Bondi
Don’t hold back on your asks. “When we shape our asks to get a yes, we leave money and opportunity on the table. I didn’t see this until I started auctioneering. When we ask in order to get a ‘no,’ and then negotiate down for a click or two below it, you will know that you have maximized the opportunity of that ask. That is what we draw on to help you ask for more. Go for a ‘no,’ don’t go for a ‘yes.’.”
Have clarity about what you’re asking for so there’s something to respond to. “If you’re going to sit in front of an audience that matters to a particular goal you have, and you’re going to make an ask, what are you asking for? Why is this important to your initiatives? When you identify what you’re looking for, it’s easier to quantify. Then you can start working towards asking to get a no.”
Find an impact hobby that connects you with the world and makes you better. “I have hobbies that have an impact on other people, and auctioneering has been a part of them. In my case, it was about putting more money and opportunity in the hands of women-led nonprofits that benefit women and girls. Becoming an auctioneer helped me do good in the world through a hobby I have fun with.”
Listen to everything we covered, including Dia auctioneering off one of my most-used prized possessions.
