Read Online Power and Passion by Kay Tejani - Free Book Online Page B

quite
alarmed. "I should have mentioned that first. We met some time ago
at a Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation event."
    Joan looked absently around the room as she
thought. Met at an event for the sheikh's foundation? That didn't
ring any bells. She went to so many fundraisers, galas, parties,
meet and greets, you name it, and she had probably put in an
appearance there. She was usually okay with names and faces, but
she simply could not place this one.
    "And for a while after that," Sara went on,
"we talked about a possible joint project between our
organizations. But at the time it was not meant to be." She laughed
a little. "You were very busy, and I know you are now as well. I've
seen you on TV and in the papers. Congratulations on your latest
award by the way."
    "Oh, Sara ," Joan said, sitting up in
her seat. "Yes, now I remember you. You're an event planner, and we
were talking about bringing in some Hearts and Minds advertising at
some of your local events."
    "Yes." Sara sounded just as pleased as Joan
felt to finally make this connection.
    "Thank you for the congratulations," Joan
added. "It's an honor to be noticed for the work we do. Anyway, how
have you been, Sara? Are you still with SO?"
    "Yes, I am. Still the events coordinator.
And that brings me to why I'm calling. As I said before, I have an
event in mind that I would like to plan, but I find myself in
somewhat uncharted territory here." She paused for a moment. "I'm
afraid I'm not receiving much support for this idea from my
colleagues. So I thought perhaps you could give me some
advice."
    "Oh, by all means," Joan said, waving to
David and blowing him a kiss as he quietly excused himself—probably
to go start dinner. "I'm sorry you're not getting the help you
need."
    "Oh, don't get me wrong," Sara was quick to
say. "My coworkers are wonderful people, very dedicated to our
cause. But this idea I have…well, it is a bit of a reach for us.
May I explain it then you can tell me what you think?"
    "Of course, of course." Joan reached out for
her wine glass and settled back again. Sara went on to describe her
idea that would help raise awareness and funds for SO— the gala
fundraiser, the food and music, the dancing, the auctions. It all
sounded wonderful, rather like some of the events Joan had been to
back home and in that region.
    "Sounds like something I would like to
attend," she told Sara with a laugh. "So what problems are you
running into?"
    Sara sighed. Joan could hear all the
weariness she felt in it. "Well, at first I was concerned about
money. But then my—well, a generous backer basically offered to
write me a check to cover whatever it might cost. So then I took
the idea to my boss and a couple other staff people in my office."
"And that was where you hit resistance?" Joan had seen this time
and again, albeit from a different perspective. How often had her
younger employees come to her with enthusiasm in their eyes,
wanting to tell her about a brilliant new plan they had cooked up
overnight? And how often had she reluctantly shot them down? So
often she had wanted to tell them, "Go ahead. Take this idea of
yours and run with it," but there was so much more to it than that.
Not only was there money to consider—though if Sara had that
covered, she had already fought half the battle.
    There were all the aspects Joan was sure
Sara's boss had given her the rundown on: logistics, manpower, and,
in her case, corporate interest. Joan was fortunate in that she was
the top of the line where she worked—no parent company to report
to, no executives to approve her requests. At Special Olympics,
however, she imagined Sara was perhaps midway up the chain of
command. No doubt she would one day be farther up, even at the top.
She seemed like a real go-getter, a woman who knew what she wanted
and was accustomed to making things happen. But for the time being,
she was obviously having difficulty getting this plan of hers off
the ground.
    "Yes,"