Meals are an experience. Good meals activates us. Exceptionally delectable meals with family and friends during special occasions are stored and relived as indelible memories for years to come. Some people (perhaps you!) can recall with fervid clarity the over-the-top chocolate dessert they had at a special restaurant a full 10 years later! When they…
Category: Leadership
Get Better in 2014 – Advancement Webinars and Workshops from the Institute
Start the year off right with high-quality, mind-stretching, solution-rich professional development opportunities. The Gonser Gerber Institute is offering the following webinars and workshops to help you and your team do the best possible advancement work in 2014. Below are three programs being offered early in the year: 5 Essential Tips: Innovative (And Inexpensive) Ways to…
What do we REALLY get when we give to a good cause?
Recently, Seth Godin blogged on the subject of giving. His entry entitled, “What do we get when we give to a good cause?” was a bit off base from my perch. His answer to this important question was simply, “A story.” He said, “In fact, every time someone donates to a good cause, they’re buying a…
Being Grateful As An Effectiveness Strategy
“Reflect on your present blessings, on which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” —Charles Dickens (M. Dickens, 1897) If you live in the States, the 4th Thursday of November is the day set aside to be thankful. We are encouraged to focus on our blessings and…
The Education of a Major Gift Prospect
There are 3 components that need to come together for a major gift prospect to become a major gift donor: Assets – The prospect must have the financial capacity to make the major gift commitment; Personal Relationship – The prospect must come to understand, appreciate, and value the mission and vision of the institution or…
Changing Your Mind
Poor leaders rarely have a coherent philosophy that guides their strategies and decisions. Ineffective leaders lack a well-thought out approach. They don’t have a system that creates a sense of stability and understanding. They change their mind whimsically, based primarily on who has influenced them last. If there is an issue with the major gifts…
The “Culture of Ought”
Recently I was presenting on the process of asking for a major gift before a diversified group of development professionals. The folks in the room that day spanned all levels of development leaders, gift officers, and support team members and ranged in experience from a few weeks on the job to seasoned pros. During a…
Plan to Be Grateful and Build a Better Team
In addition to developing your goals, plans, and timelines for the coming year, what else are you accomplishing through your annual planning process? If you are an efficacious advancement leader, you probably are employing activities and exercises that enhance a positive sense of teamwork among staff members. I routinely encourage advancement leaders to increase the…
What Are Your Money Narratives?
Suze Orman, the personal finance personality on CNBC and author of a number of books about money, shared a story about how she came to understand the value of money. Apparently, when she was a little girl her father owned a small business. One evening, his shop began to burn. Before the flames had engulfed…
“Deep Human Connection”
Recently, at Duke University’s Commencement, technologist and philanthropist Melinda Gates stated to the assembled graduates: “Technology is just a tool. It’s a powerful tool, but it is just a tool. Deep human connection is very different. It’s not a tool. It’s not a means to an end. It is the end – the purpose and…