When we view advancement programs as machines, we constantly seek out the next new idea or technology that will help our machine be more efficient and effectively.
We seek to learn from our peers how they calibrated their machines, and we expect to get similar results if we calibrate similarly.
We become so data-focused on the running of the machine, that meaning, purpose, feeling, and significance can be lost.
We can find it easier not to care because we feel like a cog. “My job is to manage the machine, and I’m doing all that I’m willing to do.”
But, our programs are not machines. Our programs are built on hundreds, if not thousands of relationships.
Relationships with organizational leaders.
Relationships with colleagues.
Relationships with donors and prospective donors.
Relationships with volunteers and so many others.
Relationships aren’t machines. And when we try to build durable and productive relationships with others by treating those relationships like we are managing machines, we miss the mark badly.
If we want to become better advancers of the missions we serve, a good first step is to clearly understand the fundamental nature of the work.
