Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday in theory. A day in which we pause collectively to reflect, commune, and return thanks for all the many blessings each of can count. For most people in North America, of course, we have much for which to be thankful. So, in theory, it’s an important holiday. Of course,…
Month: November 2011
Alleviating “Ask Fright”
We’ve all heard of stage fright – that fear that grips a performer when the lights come on and the audience is watching intently. A favorite method of alleviating stage fright is to take the focus off of yourself as the performer. Instead, acting coaches will encourage the performer to focus on the audience. “Imagine…
The Impact of Serial Tasking on Donor Engagement
Our pressurized, over-scheduled lives seem to demand efficiency in completing multiple items on our to-do list simultaneously. Whether it is sending an email, checking a website, and talking on the phone, it isn’t unusual to find that we are doing all of these tasks (and more) simultaneously. Most of us have convinced ourselves that multi-tasking…
Why a Donor-Centered Approach Is Wrong
Over the last decade, the concept of “donor-centered” fundraising has gained traction for institutions of all sizes. Books have been written on the topic and a Google search of the phrase turned up 364,000 results! The idea – that all institutional activities and behaviors should be concentrated and focused in ways that best serve donors…
Working On Vs.Working For
Do you focus more on what you are working on or what you are working for? What we are working on could be a mailing, setting up visits, getting prepared for Board meetings, etc. On the other hand, what we are working for are the big outcomes we are aiming to achieve. Strengthening our institutions…