When I ask this question. . .
. . . folks in some advancement shops will respond first by sharing the latest gossip or drama at their institution.
. . . folks in some advancement shops will respond first by sharing information about a new system, or software, or plan they learned about from colleagues.
. . . folks in some advancement shops will respond first by complaining about some resource they don’t have but desperately need in order to do their jobs.
But other advancement folks will respond first by talking about their donors and how they plan to invite those donors into closer relationships with their institutions. Or, others may talk first about the strategic plans of the institution and how they are sharing those plans with donors.
“What’s going on?”
It’s a simple and seemingly trivial question I ask when I sit down with an advancement professional. But the focus of the response shared with me says a lot about how they are spending their time and, I’ve found, how effective they are as advancement professionals more generally.
So, how would you respond?
