Giving is Good
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…
There is always something to learn from those who are the best in their fields. I just finished reading Robert Hagstrom’s, “The Essential Buffett: Timeless Principles for the New Economy.” It didn’t disappoint. I walked away with a better understanding of the thinking process of one of the best investor’s of all time and found…
For most organizations, there are two questions which encourage the use of a Campaign Feasibility Study – “how much can we raise?” and “in what period of time can we expect to raise it?” However, for most non-profit organizations there are far more important and compelling reasons to choose to conduct a Campaign Feasibility Study….
I speed. I shouldn’t but I do. My work has me driving a lot and I have had the highway patrol in my rear view mirror more than I should. Yesterday was one of those days. He pulled in behind me and hit his lights. I pulled over. The officer came to the window…
Thomas J. Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door just penned another thought-provoking work entitled, Stop Acting Rich . . . and Start Living Like a Real Millionaire. In “Stop Acting Rich,” Stanley observes that wealthy Americans ($1 million in assets excluding the home) who give away at least 10% of their incomes to charity…
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,…
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…
Donors give us financial gifts – both big and small. But what do we give them in return? More and more I see organizations providing donors with transactional gimmicks. Make a gift, get a calendar. Make a gift, get a ticket to an event. Make a gift, get a magazine subscription. Not only do such…
In the second part of the Urban Legends of Fundraising, I talked about how asking for a major gift was similar to asking a girl to marry. In both instances you have the best opportunity for an affirming response when: you don’t ask too soon in the relationship; you both know the ask is coming…
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…