Giving is Good
The concept of control is important in leadership. But the application can be misapplied. Great leadership doesn’t control people. Great leadership doesn’t control processes and methods. Great leadership doesn’t “control and command.” Great leadership controls the environment and the climate. Great leadership controls the context and the inputs. Great leadership controls the team culture. When…
As is said to be true of families, a dysfunctional board will be dysfunctional in its own unique way. But, there are at least 3 contexts that will lead a board into some form of dysfunction over time if not addressed: A Board Chair Unwilling to Speak Directly – speaking directly doesn’t mean that the…
“Explain your perspective on the proposed strategy to increase the number of first time donors?” Perhaps, this is the most important question for younger advancement professionals to address. Not, “what is the strategy?” Not, “what do you think will work best?” Not, “how efficiently can you get it completed?” Not even, “how effective will it…
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 problem with generosity is not that it’s no good for our physical wellbeing, or that it’s no good for our emotional and mental health, or that it lowers our sense of happiness, or that it isn’t correlated with living longer. No, acting generously – even in small ways – does the exact opposite for…
The key question for advancement is not, “how do we get more people to give, volunteer, show up, etc.?” Those action-oriented questions are rather simple to answer. An act – like giving – can emerge when people care. But, we also know that people will give and not care. They will give because of peer…
We choose whether we serve others or ourselves. We choose whether we are positive or critical. We choose whether we speak up or stay silent. We choose whether we take responsibility or pass the buck. We choose whether we are enthusiastic or apathetic. We choose whether we are accountable or check a box. We choose…
Recently I was part of a campaign steering committee meeting with an organization that has just gone public with their multi-year campaign. After quickly completing an exercise designed to identify potential new major gift donor prospects, the committee began to ask questions and offer suggestions that took over the remainder of the agenda. One committee…
We tend to spot a lack of self-restraint in others very easily: That friend who rarely pays their fair share when we go out. That donor who uses her influence to get a business deal with the nonprofit. That politician who abuses his authority. Far more difficult to admit our own lack of self-restraint: When we…
The most effective advancement folk don’t necessarily have access to the best technology. They don’t have the largest budgets. They probably don’t work for the biggest organizations or institutions. They aren’t the smartest or the most well-educated. They aren’t even the most enthusiastic always. Instead, there is a simple-ness to being especially effective in our…