"Passion Retread" by Terry Axelrod

Remember those dear friends of your organization who served as Table Captains merely because you asked them? While they may have had two or three empty seats at their table, they did the job, like good soldiers. Perhaps their passion for your organization was not naturally transmitted to their guests, yet once they got to the event, the passion was rekindled.

An effective strategy for increasing Table Captain passion—and therefore Ask Event^™ size and results—is to focus on a Passion Retread for these trusted insiders. If you have ever been a long-term board member or volunteer with an organization, you will know how your initial passion can wane, and being asked to fill a table at another event feels like a burden and an obligation, rather than a privilege.

A method for rekindling their passion is to do this simple Passion Retread exercise at your next board or committee meeting or retreat. When people introduce themselves at the beginning of the session, have them tell their story of how they got involved or what keeps them involved with the organization. While many may say they got involved before they really understood the work being done, their reasons for staying involved now will be very moving. Often they will have a personal story or incident that instantly reconnects them.

This is also an excellent team-building exercise for boards or committees. I remember doing this exercise at a board retreat where one of the most outspoken and critical members told his story briefly. The organization had saved his son's life, thanks to one of their special programs, for which this man remained a staunch advocate. Just hearing him tell his story gave everyone a deep sense of compassion for his commitment to the program. You can bet that this man made an excellent Table Captain with a full table of people who understood the value of the organization.