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  • When in Doubt, Ask for More: And 213 Other Life and Career Lessons for the Mission-Driven Leader

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When in Doubt, Ask for More: And 213 Other Life and Career Lessons for the Mission-Driven Leader Paperback – March 13, 2020

by Alex Counts (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars (44)
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LEADING A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION is challenging, stressful work—yet it can also be richly rewarding. Alex Counts mastered the art of mission-driven leadership through decades of trial and error, as he built from scratch one of today’s most admired philanthropic foundations. Now he shares 214 of the most powerful lessons he discovered along the way—life and career secrets you'll never learn in school. Frank, quirky, counterintuitive, and ultimately inspiring, these nuggets of wisdom cover the toughest challenges nonprofit leaders face:On defining your organization’s mission: “Be bold, but be grounded."

On running a meeting: “Agendas are made to be bent."

On surviving business travel: “Check the seat pocket one more time.”

On people management: “It’s okay to have a few enemies.”

On capturing an audience’s attention: “Start with your conclusion.”

And on the art of fundraising: “Stop talking.”

Those working in the nonprofit world will find that Alex Counts's sage advice can help them get through the day feeling more in control while making a greater impact on the world they seek to serve.

“Each tiny lesson is a self-contained, salient observation that shines a light on a specific aspect of leadership. . . . Whatever the subject, the author condenses a meaningful pronouncement into its simplest, most elegant form, using high-impact prose to make his point. . . . Parceled out pearls of leadership wisdom.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Alex Counts has been critical to creating and building the global microcredit movement from its start. He knows how to lead. And how to write! When in Doubt, Ask for More will help you be a more powerful leader—and have fun doing so.”—Bill Drayton, Ashoka: Everyone a Changemaker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alex Counts founded Grameen Foundation and became its president and CEO in 1997. From its modest beginnings, Grameen Foundation grew to become a leading international humanitarian organization. Counts is the author of several books, including Small Loans, Big Dreams: How Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and Microfinance Are Changing the World, and Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship.

Today Counts is an independent consultant to nonprofit organizations, a professor at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland College Park, and an affiliated faculty of its Do Good Institute. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for Financial Inclusion and is an active Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

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  1. Print length
    252 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    March 13, 2020
  4. Dimensions
    5 x 0.63 x 8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0979008077
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0198300366
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The Amazon Book Review
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From the Publisher

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

Got Five Minutes? Take a Break and Enjoy a Bite-Sized Nugget of Insight, Humor, and Wisdom

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

Leadership

Be Bold, But Be Grounded. Self-proclaimed leadership experts often tout the benefits of adopting so-called "Big Hairy Audacious Goals," which are alleged to motivate team members far more than modest objectives. But they can easily backfire . . .

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

Fundraising

The Ask: Keep It Simple. When you're ready to ask a potential major donor for funds for the first time, it is usually best to ask for something very specific. For example, you could say, "We're about to launch a one-million-dollar project that I think you'll find very interesting . . .

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

People Skills

Letting It All Hang Out. As a leader, you'll be tempted to become cautious regarding what you say and write on behalf of your organization. This is generally a good thing. But consider occasionally throwing caution to the wind . . .

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

Personal Wellness

Money and Joy. Here is a formula for reducing the angst you experience over finances: Spend money liberally on a few things that bring you joy. Be frugal in all other areas. Then, periodically reevaluate whether the things you have been spending on freely still bring you joy . . .

Alex Counts, When in Doubt

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Each tiny lesson is a self-contained, salient observation that shines a light on a specific aspect of leadership. . . . Whatever the subject, the author condenses a meaningful pronouncement into its simplest, most elegant form, using high-impact prose to make his point. . . . Parceled out pearls of leadership wisdom."-Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Alex Counts founded Grameen Foundation and became its president and CEO in 1997. A Cornell University graduate, Counts's commitment to poverty eradication deepened as a Fulbright scholar in Bangladesh, where he trained under Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, and corecipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Since its modest beginnings, Grameen Foundation grew to become a leading international humanitarian organization. Counts is the author of several books, including Small Loans, Big Dreams: How Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and Microfinance Are Changing the World, and Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship. He has also written numerous articles in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Washington Post, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and other publications. Today Counts is an independent consultant to nonprofit organizations, a professor at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland College Park, and an affiliated faculty of its Do Good Institute. He also serves as a member of the Advisory Council of the Center for Financial Inclusion and is an active Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rivertowns Books
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 13, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 252 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0979008077
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0198300366
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.63 x 8 inches
  • Best Sellers Rank: #3,995,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 out of 5 stars (44)

About the author

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Alex Counts

Alex Counts

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Alex's latest offering is a 2022 edition of his classic book on microfinance, "Small Loans, Big Dreams: Grameen Bank and the Microfinance Revolution in Bangladesh, America, and Beyond" (Rivertowns Books).

His 2020 book, "When In Doubt, Ask for More: And 213 Other Life and Career Lessons for The Mission-Driven Leader" follows on his acclaimed 2019 book "Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind" that Forbes magazine called "essential reading" for nonprofit employees, which was released as a revised edition in 2021.

Alex Counts established the Grameen Foundation and became its President and CEO in 1997, after having worked in microfinance and poverty reduction for 10 years. A Cornell University graduate, Counts’ commitment to poverty eradication deepened as a Fulbright scholar in Bangladesh, where he witnessed innovative poverty solutions being developed by Grameen Bank. He trained under Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, and co-recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Since its modest beginnings, sparked by a $6,000 seed grant provided by Prof. Yunus (who was a founding board member and continues as director emeritus), Grameen Foundation has grown to become a leading international humanitarian organization.

Counts propelled Grameen Foundation’s philosophy through his writings, including "Small Loans, Big Dreams: How Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and Microfinance Are Changing the World" and "Voices from the Field." Counts has also been published in The Washington Post, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Stanford Social Innovation Review and elsewhere. In 2007, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Horace Mann School. While at Cornell University, he received the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award, given annually by the Class of 1964 to the graduating senior who is the best example of the ideal of public service articulated by our 35th President.

He speaks Bengali and lives in Maryland with his wife, Emily and cat, Meena. He loves listening to and promoting live music in intimate venues, especially blues and bluegrass, as well as other genres.

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Customer reviews

5 out of 5 stars
44 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book informative and easy to read, noting they can finish it in a couple of hours. They appreciate its content, with one customer highlighting that each page contains a life lesson.
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20 customers mention content, 20 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book informative and insightful, with one customer noting that each page contains a life lesson.
I found this to be an invaluable resource - inspiration, wisdom, and as a coach, to remind myself of the brighter side of lifeRead more
This is a well written and insightful book of top tips to improve leadership and well-being for nonprofit leaders -- and really anyone in the...Read more
Funny and insightful! Not just for career advice in non-profit, but business in general.Read more
Excellent book! Alex Counts presented deep words of wisdom that could only come from paying a great price in a very readable way....Read more
11 customers mention readability, 11 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book easy to read, with several mentioning they can finish it in a couple of hours. One customer notes its accessible format, while another appreciates that it can be read on the go.
...It's an easy read with most pieces of knowledge distilled into one short page apiece....Read more
...I really enjoyed this easy-to-read book, When in Doubt, Ask for More by Alex Counts....Read more
This book was a smooth read packed with insightful lessons from a disciplined and successful nonprofit founder and leader....Read more
...of wisdom that could only come from paying a great price in a very readable way....Read more
Wisdom For Life - Read it! and then read it again!
5 out of 5 stars
Wisdom For Life - Read it! and then read it again!
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to sit in on a FairVote webinar whose guest speaker was author, consultant, professor, Alex Counts. He shared a ton of great tips on how to more successfully fundraise for small nonprofits. Today, I just finished his most recent book, “When in Doubt Ask for More and 213 Other Life & Career Lessons for the Mission-Driven Leader.” It’s SO good! Each page contains a life lesson. Some of the lessons are things we all know, but should constantly be reminded of. Others, are lessons only picked up by somebody as experienced as the author, and those tips are incredibly valuable. I’ve made a note to read this book again next quarter – it’s a very quick and enjoyable read. Now, I’m off to read Alex Counts’ prior book, “Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind”. #alexcounts #whenindoubtaskformore #lifelessons #careerlessons #missiondrivenleader
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect book for non-profit professionals kicking off their career!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book was exceptionally insightful and easy to read. It is the perfect book that can help hone your skills and you can even read it on the go. I particularly appreciate the range of advice that Mr. Counts offers here. It addresses the big-picture issues that non-profit executives face on the day to day as well as simple tidbits that anyone at any level of a non-profit can instill the very next day. The book focuses on 8 different categories ranging from fundraising to personal wellness to simple yet critical travel tips. I would also like to add the uniqueness of accessibility to the author of "When in Doubt..." Alex Counts encourages his readers to email him personally to share the advice they would practice and the advice they would never do. And yes, he responds! As an early career non-profit professional, it is imperative to connect with people like Alex Counts and his willingness to share his insight and experience to his readers on a personal basis is not something you can find in every author! I highly recommend this book to any college student or professional interested in mission-driven work!
    One person found this helpful
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  • DL11
    5.0 out of 5 stars From the profound to the purely logistical
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I think this book makes an excellent gift for anyone working or volunteering for a non-profit org whether they are in a leadership position or not! Alex Counts' book is full of insights for professional and personal life. It is clearly targeted toward people who lead non-profits, but you don't have to be a "mission-driven leader" to benefit from the advice in these pages. It's an easy read with most pieces of knowledge distilled into one short page apiece. I liked how each page started with an icon telling us what subject the advice would cover. For me, a volunteer for multiple non-profits ramping up my speaking engagements, I found the lessons on "public speaking" and "running a meeting" to be the most useful professionally. I don't presently have an urgent need for the advice on "board management" yet I appreciated it as well as the inclusion of "personal wellness," "people skills," and "travel." His advice runs the gambit from general and profound ("Train yourself to simply have fear rather than letting fear have you- that is, control you") to specific and logistical ("When giving a speech, it's usually best to have your mouth 8-12" from the microphone"). It's written in a friendly and accessible way. Like I mentioned before, it would make a wonderful gift.
    -Cynthia Changyit Levin
    3 people found this helpful
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  • CherylinBrooklyn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling, encapsulated wisdom backed by experience
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is a fast and easily digestible read the first time through. However, Counts' succinct lessons derived from a lifetime of non-profit leadership demand to be reread, referred to, digested and applied. He has a captivating turn of phrase that had me wondering what experiences led to his pearls of wisdom and hungry to hear the background stories. (I guess I have to read his other book for details and examples.) One example: "In most cases, changing a fundamental character trait takes three to five years." Another: project "grounded optimism" while managing crises. And a third: "accept a flawed apology graciously." Definitely intriguing!

    The only issue I had with this title was its sequencing. The lessons fell into eight topics (Public Speaking, Leadership ,Personal Wellness) and each topic was identified by an icon. Then the lessons were arranged alphabetically by somewhat tortured headings: "Going Green," followed by "Good Is Often Good Enough," followed by "Grassroots, Feeding at the." No index or table of contents or grouping of lessons by icon (topic). Thus, an interest in everything the author had to say about Fundraising demanded a lot of folding down of page corners! Thankfully, this valuable, informative and entertaining book is short enough to flip through and mark up for future reference...which I did.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kate Raulin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and applicable lessons each of us can use
    Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    While Alex Counts learned these lessons from a successful career as a nonprofit leader, these lessons can be applied (and should be applied) to almost anyone. They are simple, applicable, and easy to remember. The best part is he offers the benefit of sharing them so we don't have to learn these lessons the hard way ourselves. You could read the book start to finish, or keep it on your desk and pick up and read a couple of lessons for a few minutes a day, which I like to do. 

    Some of my favorites so far? 
    Find Your Magic Place: "Identify at least one place that allows you to temporarily slip into a different persona/way of living that gives you more joy..and go there regularly."
    No excuses: "Don't make excuses for your job performance...unless people clearly want to hear about your problems....they rarely do."
    Spend Time with 3 Kinds of People: "Spend time around people who admire you people you learn from, and people who make you laugh..."

    Get the book to find your own favorites--or for someone else! You won't regret it!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Susan Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you could make your job and life easier, then why not read this book.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2020
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Every person experiences doubt especially when faced with confusing signals or a fork in the road. I really enjoyed this easy-to-read book, When in Doubt, Ask for More by Alex Counts. By thinking hard about his long career in mission-driven organizations, and then distilling lessons into bite-size nuggets, Counts delivers a superbly useful book for all leaders, especially staff and board members in the nonprofit sector. I’ve given this book as a gift to my teaching assistant, recent graduates and aspiring Executive Directors. They all have taken away different pearls from When in Doubt, Ask for More, but all have found it incredibly useful and interesting. They loved the way topics were tagged and how the lessons came inside stories. It’s not a heavy read like many books aimed at leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management. I highly recommend it.
    Customer image
    Susan Davis
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    If you could make your job and life easier, then why not read this book.

    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2020
    Every person experiences doubt especially when faced with confusing signals or a fork in the road. I really enjoyed this easy-to-read book, When in Doubt, Ask for More by Alex Counts. By thinking hard about his long career in mission-driven organizations, and then distilling lessons into bite-size nuggets, Counts delivers a superbly useful book for all leaders, especially staff and board members in the nonprofit sector. I’ve given this book as a gift to my teaching assistant, recent graduates and aspiring Executive Directors. They all have taken away different pearls from When in Doubt, Ask for More, but all have found it incredibly useful and interesting. They loved the way topics were tagged and how the lessons came inside stories. It’s not a heavy read like many books aimed at leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management. I highly recommend it.
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    3 people found this helpful
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