A little girl asked to see the president of a large company. She explained that her club was raising money and asked if he would contribute.

Smiling, he laid a quarter and a dollar bill on his desk and said, “Take whichever one you want.”

The little girl said, “My mother taught me to take the smallest piece, but I’ll take this piece of paper to wrap it in so I won’t lose it.” Smart kid.

Fundraising is one of those necessary tasks that helps great causes and scares people silly, all at the same time.

Even when needs are great, asking for money is a daunting prospect. I’ve been involved in a variety of deserving organizations. The story is the same, time after time. Volunteers eagerly fill the other committees, but the work can’t even get started until someone brings in the support.

That is why I see fundraising as a terrific opportunity.

First and foremost, the organization benefits because you have a chance to put your cause out in front of people who might be able to help, or know someone you can contact. It may take more than one appeal, so laying the groundwork is an important first step.

Second, you benefit because you can practice your sales skills in an environment that will open doors to people you might not otherwise have contact with. You learn to handle rejection gracefully, an essential skill that every successful salesperson must master. And as with any selling proposition, you get better as you practice your presentation.

While there’s no magic formula for attracting support, there are some guidelines that you should follow.

Your enthusiasm must be palpable and contagious. After you’ve made the same pitch dozens of times, you must be careful not to get stale.

Make an appointment to personalize your request and present the project to its best advantage while respecting other people’s time and interests. Doing your homework about the people you meet with is essential. Have printed material available, even if it’s a simple fact sheet.

Remember your manners. First, you say please. Then, regardless of the reply, you say thank you. Publicly acknowledge those who supported the project, whether in an annual report, plaque or naming opportunity.

Whether you are raising a thousand dollars for a local school or millions for a new hospital wing, these rules apply. Believe me, I’ve asked many people for large sums of money, and they are still my friends because I am respectful of their time and circumstances.

One of the most successful fundraising efforts I have been involved with is Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, which was established to promote ongoing efforts to eliminate sickness and poverty, supporting such institutions as the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.

My friend Jimmy Walker founded this phenomenal organization more than 20 years ago, and working with executive director Sean Currie, he has grown CFN from a one-night, star-studded event in Phoenix to now include a separate five-night gala in Italy.

I was privileged to join in the spectacular Italian event earlier this fall. After performing at a Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, tenor Andrea Bocelli was inspired to gather a who’s who of international celebrities. One of the highlights for me was a limited-seating concert in the Roman Colosseum featuring Bocelli, Elton John and Steven Tyler. Other megastars that performed during the week included Reba McEntire, Brooks and Dunn, David Foster, Smokey Robinson, Kristin Chenoweth, and the list goes on, all benefiting the Andrea Bocelli Foundation and Barrow Neurological Institute.

Together, these events have raised more than $142 million.

Did Jimmy Walker dream that Celebrity Fight Night would grow to these proportions? Of course! He got these amazing results because he is a spectacular leader. He is the epitome of palpable and contagious enthusiasm.

Granted, this is not your everyday fundraiser. Not every cause will generate this kind of attention, but all successful campaigns have one feature in common: excellent leadership.

Ted J. Kort, author of “Outside the Box Fundraising: The Way to Nonprofit Board Success,” says, “Fundraising begins with good relationships. Good relationships are essential for success: between board members and staff, staff and donors.”

So, before you attach your name to an organization, check out the leadership and the board. If you find that you aren’t able to get behind the cause or the group, have no fear. There’s always another group looking for your help!

Mackay’s Moral: Think of fundraising as friend-raising, and the appeal will be much easier.

I am a movie fanatic and love to hit the cineplex whenever I get a chance. It doesn’t hurt that I have a son who is a film director in Hollywood. Plus, I had the pleasure of serving on Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute Board for 14 years.

I’ve observed that we can learn a lot from the movies. For example, lighting a single match in a dark room will provide sufficient light to see everything. Ventilation ducts are roomy enough to allow anyone to wiggle through them. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any Paris hotel room. And, all police departments make sure to pair partners who are exact opposites. OK, so those examples might require a little artistic license.

Seriously, I have learned many lessons from the movies, such as the oft-repeated Michael Corleone line, “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” When I first saw “The Godfather Part II,” I thought that line was brilliant. I viewed my enemies as my competitors. That’s why I now have a speech lesson called “Know Thy Competitor.”

“The Intern” offered many lessons, including working with different generations and their contrasting styles, communications and language, problem-solving and leadership. It’s important to get everyone’s participation and perspective.

“The Bucket List” taught me the valuable lesson to live my life to the fullest. As I get older, I’m doing my best to fulfill some specific dreams. I had the good fortune to attend games six and seven of this year’s World Series with my son, and recently returned from golfing at Ireland’s greatest courses.

“The Founder,” the story of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, was like deja vu for me. It brought back a lot of memories of experiences in building my envelope manufacturing company. When you are an entrepreneur, you need to sell your vision, think big, be an innovator, hire well, select good partners, be able to handle rejection and frustration, negotiate with the best of them, and above all, never give up. As the boss, you need to work harder than anyone else.

The importance of teamwork is a message that comes through loud and clear in “Ocean’s 11.” Danny Ocean and Rusty Ryan spent a lot of time recruiting a team with unique skills to pull off the heist of the century. Yes, they were thieves, but they were master planners!

I took away a couple business lessons from “Legally Blonde.” The first is to never judge a book by its cover. People can surprise you. The second is that no matter what other people think, you control your own destiny. If you are willing to work hard, you can achieve most anything you put your mind to.

Chief among the many lessons from the movie “Moneyball,” the true story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane, were bucking the system and tackling problems in an unorthodox way. The small-market team with a limited budget used analytics and statistical probabilities to build the roster, going against coaches and scouts.

Yoda, the little green Jedi master in the “Star Wars” movies had a number of great lines, but two in particular stood out to me. In “The Empire Strikes Back,” he said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” In “The Phantom Menace,” he uttered, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Some movies serve as warnings, like “Wall Street.” We live in an instant-gratification world, and this movie provides a good example. Gordon Gekko has everything and always wants more, constantly looking for quick riches through any means necessary. Bud Fox is similar, but the two characters are at different stages in their careers. Still, both are looking for shortcuts to give them the results they want. And as we all know, there are few shortcuts in real life.

Another character who eschews his conscience for a quick profit is Rick Blaine in “Casablanca.” He’s an opportunist running a bar and casino, but fortunately his good sense and virtue make him do the right thing in the end. Quality rather than opportunity allows you to not only survive the unexpected, but thrive because of it.

One of the best holiday movies of all time, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” shows the principles of leadership. George Bailey put his customers, employees and family first by taking responsibility. It’s the way many great American businesses were built. George’s angel, Clarence, uttered an unforgettable line: “... no man is a failure who has friends.”

Mackay’s Moral: When you write your life script, include some life lessons.

I don’t care if you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a small business owner or a manager or supervisor -- you are only as good as the people around you. In other words, it’s important to surround yourself with success-oriented people.

When hiring, always try to pick future leaders. They may not be easy to recognize, but they’re crucial to an organization that wants to be innovative and entrepreneurial. Here’s a list of factors that can help you identify and develop potential leaders on your staff:

-- Collaboration. Look for employees who communicate well, delegate effectively and build strong personal relationships with their co-workers, managers and customers. They’re committed to their own personal success, of course, but they’re also dedicated to helping other people.

-- Self-determination. Entrepreneurial employees value their freedom and autonomy. They like being their own boss as much as possible, if they’re doing something they enjoy. Allow employees to make their own decisions, as long as they’re moving firmly toward your organization’s objectives.

-- Planning skills. You want employees who look beyond today’s tasks, who can focus on the long term as well as the short. They’re good at strategizing and weighing options, and at making decisions that minimize risk and maximize opportunity.

-- Curiosity. Most great ideas start with simple questions: “What if I did this? Why does that happen?” Listen to employees’ questions to spot those who are interested in solving problems and learning more about how things work.

-- Comfort with technology. Every good leader or potential leader stays on top of the tools that can mean success or failure. He or she isn’t afraid to use whatever’s available -- as long as it works.

-- Drive for action. Focus on employees who take initiative without waiting until conditions are perfect. They like to try things quickly, experiment and then move on to the next challenge. They’re also not discouraged by setbacks.

Those are traits that employees bring to the job. Now it’s up to you to help them develop the skills that will enable them to use those traits most effectively.

First and foremost, you need to be a role model. People will learn much more from your actions than from anything you say. If you want to be an effective manager, you must be comfortable knowing that your employees might be smarter or more tech-savvy than you, or have new ways of doing business. Try to remember your early career and what you did to prove yourself. Give them enough latitude to develop their own style, but be ready to offer a guiding hand when necessary.

Teach the importance of networking. Learning how to make contacts is a necessary skill for every leader. Stress the importance of both internal and external networks. I frequently preach, “If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.”

Share the value of perspective. Maintaining an even keel in good and bad times prevents the temptation to jump to rash conclusions when a challenge arises, or conversely, when you have had the biggest success of your career. Emotions have a place, but not in business decisions. As I like to say, “Make decisions with your heart and you’ll end up with heart disease.”

Insist on respect: for authority, for co-workers and for yourself. Good leaders treat people like people, not property. Successful leaders won’t stoop to doing deeds that go against their principles just to make a buck. Good leaders have standards that cannot be compromised because it would destroy their self-respect.

Remind employees constantly: Cream doesn’t rise to the top; it works its way up. There is no substitute for hard work. When employees see you working harder than they do, you are reinforcing that a dedicated work ethic is a necessary characteristic of a good leader.

Instill confidence. Give credit where it is due. Encourage employees to take charge of projects that will allow them to take appropriate risks and take responsibility for outcomes.

Make sure they understand responsibility. As writer Max DePree puts it: “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. ... A friend of mine characterized leaders simply like this: ‘Leaders don’t inflict pain; they bear pain.’”

Mackay’s Moral: If you want to grow tomorrow’s leaders, plant seeds of wisdom today.