Development consultants can be helpful. Not all, certainly. But quality development consultants can add great value to your organization. There are times when organizations are more apt to think about engaging a consultant: to assess campaign readiness, to implement a campaign, or to conduct an audit are a few examples. And when an organization decides…
Category: Leadership
The 3 R’s
Success emerges from habits. Doing the right things over and over leads to sustained success in any endeavor, but especially in fundraising and leadership. In order to form effective habits, you must have balance in your life. And I’ve come to believe that balance can be achieved by following the 3 R’s. If you do…
Leading Up
One of the more regular issues I encounter in working with CEOs and advancement leaders centers on the notion of “leading up.” Everyone understands their role in “leading down,” or leading those in their care on the organizational chart. But the real work – and your ability to be successful – rests in large measure…
What’s In A Name?
Over the years, I’ve struggled (and watched as others have struggled) with how to title development officers. What is the appropriate title for those folk whose primary role it is to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors? “Fundraiser” of course lost out some years ago when people thought it was too narrow, and more importantly,…
The Primary Focus of Leaders
As a leader, what do you love? On what factors of your work does your mind most freely gravitate? On what issues do you most enjoy working? The answers to these questions, taken together, will serve as a strong predictor of your success as a leader. And, if your answer to each is not…
Caught vs. Taught
According to Bersin and Associates, companies and organizations are spending well over $50 billion per year on formalized professional development programs for employees. These programs are designed to teach everything from basic computer skills to nuanced leadership strategies. Why do organizations make such huge investments in their employees? In large measure it is because they…
Sailing Into Blue Oceans
What if your institution could attract new donors unlike any other? What if the programs and services you offered were so compelling that you really had no competition? These are two of the questions Blue Ocean Strategy by Kim and Mauborgne encouraged me to think about. If you’ve not read Blue Ocean, I would highly…
Big Rocks
Imagine an empty mason jar. Now, visualize taking rocks about the size of golfballs and placing them into the jar until the rocks reach the lip of the jar opening. Is the mason jar full? Now, imagine taking sand and pouring it into the jar. As the sand finds its way through the wide gaps…
Ambition Matters
Ambition is important for exceptional leadership, but probably in ways that you’ll find surprising. Studies show that early career ambition is a plus. “He’s a real go-getter” and “She’s determined and motivated,” are usually positive statements found on the early-career performance evaluations of rising stars. But, to paraphrase an old line, “a funny thing happens…
Being Self-Sufficient Is a Losing Strategy
The Ancient Chinese were known for their trading prowess (the early uses of The Silk Road) and for their technological and scientific advancements (the development of writing, a calendar, gunpowder, silk, paper and the compass, for example). They impacted cultures, knowledge, customs, and ideas well beyond their borders. At one time, the Chinese were the…