Despite its triteness, the following platitude regarding our work is true: “If you don’t ask, the answer will almost always be ‘no’.” We need to be out of our offices, asking for specific gifts. However, to do this work well, asking alone is not enough. To round out this statement, I would add the following:…
Author: Jason McNeal
I provide leadership, advancement and fundraising consulting services to educational, healthcare, and non-profit organizations.
5 Alternate Questions You Should Be Asking
Instead of asking, “what’s new?” ask, “what’s working?” Instead of asking, “who failed?” ask, “what are our strengths?” Instead of asking, “how do I feel?” ask, “how are others reacting?” Instead of asking, “what went wrong?” ask, “what does ‘high functioning’ look like?” Instead of asking, “why did we make that choice?” ask, “what do…
Your Calling
My hope is that you are in this work we call advancement because you are driven to make the lived experience for others better. My hope is that you chose this work because you are committed to a meaningful mission. My hope is that you wake up most days eager to fully live into a…
Getting From “Me” to “We”
A personality trait that most leaders desire in individual staff members can best be described as “being a good team player.” This trait is a combination of behaviors that, overall, puts the team’s goals and interests above those of the individual. You will hear people say positively, “he has more ego for the university than…
A Search for Shared Vision
It is not the responsibility of the CEO to create the institutional vision. It is her responsibility to see that it is created. A big distinction. The next question, of course, becomes how best to create this institutional vision. I would quietly suggest that the CEO who decides to create the vision herself causes many…
The Problem with Motions, Seconds, and Votes
Following Robert’s Rules of Order during a governing board or foundation board meeting might be helpful for imposing order on the discussion. But, it is almost wholly unhelpful in engaging and exciting the philanthropic imagination of your board members so that ambitious goals can be achieved. If you want to get important things accomplished and…
Practicing the Art of “Giftfinding”
For all of human history until just very recently, people have used systems-level thinking to navigate the natural world and the opportunities and dangers it presents. For instance, the ancient people of Polynesia practiced the art of “wayfinding,” which applied a sophisticated understanding of broad natural cues to safely pilot a canoe from one island…
The Illusion of Understanding
Recently, an annual fund officer was talking to me about making calls on past annual fund leadership donors who had not given in the last two years. This list of donors was not that long, but it was still troubling. All of these past donors had given at least $1,000+ annually until the 2012-2013 year….
The Most Important Question To Ask Yourself
Here is the most important question a development officer can ask himself: “Am I more focused on how I look or on what I see?” How I look vs. What I see. Where is your focus? On your own presentation or on the prospective donor? When you are more concerned with “how you look,” you’ll…
Why “Going Viral” Shouldn’t Be Your Goal
The #ALSIceBucketChallenge has been a tremendous success no matter how one might define the term. The challenge began in July and, within the last month, the awareness of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease as it is still known, is sky high. In addition, ALS is now reporting that the challenge has raised almost $80 million dollars…