Chapter 20
Day 2: Conduct interviews (and site visits?)
Let me anticipate a possible objection.
You're the fundraiser. You work closely with the CEO. You breathe and sleep your mission. And you seriously want to know: Why do I, the best-informed person in this shop, need to interview key informants?
I will gently point you back toward chapter 8, Embracing "Designated Ignoramus" status. Also known as Breaking the Curse of Knowledge.
Don't underestimate hubris.
We all suffer from it occasionally (you more than me, of course). It's a well-documented mental shortcut. It's one of at least two-dozen "behavioral biases" humans are prone to. We all believe we're above average (you're the chosen one? sorry to break the news). Psychologists call it "overconfidence" (and, yes, that's its actual scientific name).[1]
Can we move on now?
[1] The Choice Factory: 25 behavioural biases that influence what we buy, by Richard Shotton, 2018, Harriman House