The Last Win

04 February 2022 04 February 2022

This past week I heard that the last last proposal I worked on was successful. Well, hurray.

Losing sucks, unreservedly, but winning also offers a chance to think about what it costs.

This site focuses on RFP responses, but there's help here for RFP issuers, too. For even more help -- on either side of the contracting divide -- check out my manual.

"... a brilliant articulation of everything you ever needed to know about proposals." Carla Dawes, Founder: Rising into Resilience; former Business Development Manager & Proposal Consultant

Available as an ebook from these sources:

Publisher

Amazon

Available as a PDF from me, via the Contacts page.

Good advice from someone who has thought seriously about how to use LLMs to teach writers.

Navigating the evangelical fervour of AI absolutism

Harvard Business Review often publishes good articles on managing yourself at work. Here's one of them:

6 Science-Backed Ways
to Improve Your Well-Being at Work

You might do better than this list from Seth.

You might not.

Practical approaches for more effective teamwork

More effort creates beauty and magic and remarkability.

Perfectionism is a false hope and a place to hide.

Effort, on the other hand, is our best chance to do work that matters.

Source: Seth's Blog (like, where else?)

"There are only two things: contracts and conversations.
If you don't have the one, all you have is the other."
- An American Colonel whose name is lost in the mists of time,
but whose trenchant comment lives on

Here's a good overview of procurement, written in a conversational tone.

What is Procurement?

Posted: 2020 Nov 14

“Thanks everyone for comments on the draft, here it is revised with all your edits.” pic.twitter.com/pSV16wQqca

— Ben Phillips (@benphillips76) September 17, 2023

I invite you to help me make a difference by buying my latest book. All my royalties go to Food Banks Canada.

Things you rarely hear about these days…

10. A precedented situation
9. A mitigated disaster
8. Foreseen circumstances
7. A non-brutal reality
6. A credible Hulk
5. An imperfect storm
4. A fate better than death
3. A brunette bombshell
2. A charm defensive
1. A single whammy

— Adam Sharp (@AdamCSharp) January 5, 2024

My favourite door-knocking event so far:
Me to 10 yr old who answered: “I’m here to talk about the upcoming mayoral election, are one of your parents home?”
Kid: “My dad doesn’t want to run for mayor.” *closes door*

Source: Tweet by Michael Oshry, who *was* running for Mayor of Edmonton

Sign this kid up for a proposal team. Not.

"If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done."

Source: Former proposal colleague