Peter Drucker is credited with having said, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This durable quote means, of course, that no matter how elegant your plans, they will fail if the collectively team attitude is not affirming. Here is something else “culture” eats: by-laws. If you find yourself spending huge chunks of time with a governing…
Category: Advancement
Remember When. . .
It was second weekend of March 2020, and the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the western world. PreK-12 schools flipped almost completely during this weekend from in-person instruction and activities to virtual. Restaurants, bars, and other public spaces closed. Airline travel basically disappeared. Business offices and workplaces shut down and “#WFH” became a reality for hundreds…
So, Now What?
Welcome to 2023! You made it. In fact, you probably more than “made it.” You probably finished 2022 with more gift income than in calendar year 2021. You probably achieved some important campaign goals in 2022. You probably succeeded in a whole number of important advancement and development ways. And, you probably are tired. Maybe…
When Mistakes Happen
A math student takes an exam and ends up with the right answer to a particular problem. However, the professor notices that the student made a small mistake in his calculations to solve the problem. Regardless of the student’s natural aptitude toward math, will the professor be more or less forgiving of the miscalculation if…
How Do You Give?
“What I really need are funds that have no strings attached. What would really help us generate more impact through our programs is unrestricted money.” If you sit with nonprofit leaders of any stripe and type and ask them what they really need, this response will almost surely be in their top 2-3, if not…
Some People
Your case statement isn’t designed to delight every prospect. Your proposal isn’t crafted to appeal to every donor. Your website can’t be created to attract every visitor. Your direct mail solicitation isn’t written to enthrall every reader. You shouldn’t be seeking to connect with everyone. That’s a fool’s errand. Far too wide and too broad…
Why I’m Not Donating During This Season of Giving
In 2 days, over 2 billion people worldwide (or about 1/3 of the world’s population) will celebrate the Christmas holiday. Whether folks celebrate Christmas as a religious or cultural event, a primary component of the holiday is the act of “gift giving.” During the Christmas season, people give gifts to friends. They give gifts to…
5 Fundamental Leadership Responsibilities
If you provide leadership to an individual or team, you have 5 responsibilities: Goals – With their input, agree to the 4-6 most meaningful goals to their role or function that should be achieved over the next year. These goals should be specific, quantifiable or timebound; Plan – Help them (as needed) prepare and present…
“That is how we’ve always done it”
No phrase in professional life is met with more frustration. It is almost always wholly unsatisfactory as a response, hints at passive aggression, and underlies a stubborn unwillingness to change. However, “that is how we’ve always done it,” is also a helpful reminder for leaders. When that phrase is used, we tend to focus on…
Clarifying Expectations
Leaders regularly engage with different groups to advance the enterprise in various ways. In many instances, though, we don’t address well the fundamental questions those groups have about our expectations for their service. Here is a handy chart that provides some language to help clarify the role and purpose for 5 key groups who are…