Giving is Good
Many have the mistaken belief that leaders should “do” more. But the opposite actually is true: Leaders should “be” more. 1. Be reflective. Slow down. If you find yourself regularly thinking, “I just don’t have time,” you are most likely focused on doing more as opposed to being more. Schedule time away from the hustle…
If your institution is like most, members of your advancement team help to plan, implement, and engage an advisory board of some sort. Perhaps it is an alumni board, a parents’ council, an programmatic advisory board, or an institution-wide advisory board. Whatever the form, these groups take valuable time, energy, and resources from the staff…
The good leader is not responsible for everything that happens. She encourages and directs team members so that they grow into the best, most effective versions of themselves. She engages volunteers so that their passions are realized through their efforts on behalf of the institution. She manages those to whom she reports so that they…
You are in year 3 of a 5 year campaign. Things have gone well to date, the Quiet Phase exceeded goals. But now, suddenly there has been a slowdown in commitments. Perhaps a major gift proposal wasn’t fully funded. Perhaps you received a “not right now” answer from another prospect. And, perhaps, there are at…
My wife and I are parents of an eight year old and a six year old. When I was studying the family-work dynamic in graduate school, I became very familiar with the research and positions associated with the “quality time versus quantity of time” argument of child rearing. You know the argument. The idea is…
If you think your job is to get donors and prospects more interested in your institution, you’ve got it backwards. You will close many more gifts by showing authentic interest in your prospects than you will by working to get them interested in your institution. It’s our job to show interest, not seek it. When…
For many institutions, utilizing volunteers in the development process is not always easy. The problems with volunteers can seem to outweigh the benefits. They take precious time, energy, and resources to manage and they don’t always do what they are supposed to do (much less what we want them to do!) But, there are many…
If you observed Christmas and practiced the tradition of Santa Claus when you were growing up, here is a simple question for you: Were the presents that came from Santa wrapped or unwrapped? From my days studying family dynamics and sociology, I recall it is not uncommon for a young married couple to have a…
How many times have you heard someone suggest a last minute add-on to a direct mail solicitation, event agenda, or phonathon or visit script using this phrase? The problem with this statement is that almost always works. We think to ourselves, “yeah, that wouldn’t be a bad idea.” But ask yourself this, is it wise…
Is quality more important in our work? Or is quantity king (or queen, as it were)? Quality, of course, suggests that we do only a few things – but do them exceptionally well. Quantity, on the other hand, suggests that we attempt as much as we can with less concern about being world-class. Both characteristics…