What if the purpose of your campaign is not to raise extraordinary amounts of gift income, but instead is to educate potential givers on the need(s) being met by your institution?
What if the purpose of your alumni relations event is not to ensure that people have an enjoyable experience, but instead is to remind them why your institution should matter to them?
What if the purpose of your annual giving efforts is not to raise operational and/or unrestricted gift income from a growing base of givers, and instead is to encourage people to adopt a habit of consistent giving.
What if the purpose of advancement services is not to provide accurate and timely reports and data, and instead is to provide leadership and coaching on how to gather the best possible data and use it effectively?
What if your purpose – whatever your position may be in the advancement profession – is not to raise more more money or enhance your institution’s reputation or get more people out to events? What, if, instead, your purpose is to help people to see beyond their bubble of self-interest and awaken the innate but rarely discussed need for each of us to be generous?
How would you change your behavior? And, more specifically, how would you change the actual work you are doing?
Because, in fact, these are the ways in which the very best in our profession view our work.