Go MAD Giveaway

Andy Gilbert, Group Managing Director of Go MAD Thinking, entered the Poker Face TV quiz show to demonstrate the power of the Go MAD Thinking System. From over 10,000 people he successfully made the final three. Now he has decided to make a difference and give away his £65,000 prize winnings to help 1,000 people with £65 each.

However, you cannot ask for money to help yourself or support other charity fundraising, religious or political activities. This blog is about challenging you to use your thinking skills to make a positive difference, preferably sustainable, and help others to "Pay It Forward". What difference could you make? Please post your requests and comments.

Sunday 20 May 2007

Help me - I am struggling to give money away!

Yes, it's true, I am having some challenges finding enough people who want to make a difference with my money. Maybe I am being too tough with the (minimal) rules - namely, you cannot ask for the money for yourself, it must make a worthwhile difference to others, and preferably you ensure an element of sustainability (eg by turning £65 into something more, where part of it gets used to make a difference and part of it gets paid forward for someone else to make a difference with).

So when you read this - THINK, "What could I do?" or, "Who do I know that might possibly want to get involved?" Then let me know your idea - however simple or creative it might be.

I look forward to your help - even if it is posting a comment or an idea for someone else to think about.

Sunday 13 May 2007

from £65 to a school in Africa?

Having just returned from an exhausting 3 day business conference, and logged on to this blog to catch up with latest comments posted, I have instantly been rejuvinated by the series of comments posted by Andy Gahan in response to my entry " Let Me Know Your Thoughts" (22nd April). If ever you need ideas for how to make a difference with £65, then read his list of possibilities (11th May). To give you inspiration, I have copied his subsequent posting below:

andy gahan said...
I've thought about this all night and realised I've been thinking too small. I'm going to ressurect a private club I used to run a few years ago and run events to raise £15,000 to build a classroom block with 3 classrooms for a school in Africa. I will probably have to complete all of the other ideas I listed previously, who know's I may even be able to get the whole school built :)Andy - thanks for making me think outside my comfort zone and for getting me on the path of REALLY making a difference. I'll keep you posted with my progress, and good luck to everyone else going MAD.
12 May 2007 08:23

Wow, this Pay It Forward Go MAD campaign is really going places. How big can you think? Keep your ideas flowing, there are plenty of £65 to give away. Send me your thoughts.

Monday 7 May 2007

£65 worth of bees = £165 of honey

This week, I only gave away 3 x £65. However, one of these £65 was for a great idea that encompassed everything to do with thinking possibilities, matching the contribution, making a difference to others and "paying it forward" to create sustainability.

A group of managers, from one of my clients, was recently practising and developing their creative possibility thinking skills as part of their ongoing business improvement programme. When their Managing Director issued the £65 challenge they responded by coming up with a plan to invest in a colony of bees, which will be kept in one of the teams bee-hives. Apparently, subject to the bees being settled and happy, this will produce £165 worth of honey in September, which members of the HR, IT and Finance teams will put into labelled jars and sell to colleagues, family and friends. £100 will then go to a local hospice charity and £65 will be passed onto someone else to make a difference.